Meeting Later
by O'Donoghue
Summary: A story of Akane and Ranma meeting after the Manga rather than before it, learning of how each survived some crazy times and how those times affect them now.
1. Chapter 1

Meeting Later - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 04/05/10

* * *

Ranma watched her warily.

She was wearing a gi, so she was almost certainly a martial artist. She was also female and close to his age. Past experience suggested she was here to either marry or kill him.

She was moving oddly though. More like a drunk than a martial artist. That gi had seen better days too, and her hair was stringy and plastered to her head by sweat. The bags under her eyes made her look like she hadn't slept in a long time. Or bathed, he noticed, as she got closer.

She stopped in front of him and looked into his face with red eyes that didn't seem to focus too well. "Can you show me where Nodoka Saotome lives?" She asked in a rough voice.

"Umm...yeah." Now what did she want with his mother?

"Oh good," she whispered just before collapsing.

He caught her and swung her up into his arms. 'Great, just great, now what was going on?' He started to head home. His mother would want to see her. At least she wasn't very heavy.

* * *

Ranma knelt by the side of the futon in the guest room, where his mother had had him put the girl. His mother dipped a cloth into a dish of cool water, ringing it out slightly and placed it on the girl's head.

He watched his mother who was looking at the girl thoughtfully. Finally his curiosity overrode his patience, "So who is she?"

"Her name is Akane Tendo. Her father is an old friend of the family, he and your father trained together. I visited them regularly while you were on your training trip."

"So why is she here?"

His mother changed the compress on the girl's head before answering, still with that thoughtful look.

"I don't know, my son. I would guess she's in some kind of trouble. Something she couldn't go to her family with for some reason."

Nodoka looked up at Ranma, the thoughtful look vanishing under her usual look of vague good cheer.

"It's getting late, and I have to go to the market. I want you to change the compress every five minutes. I'll bring up some food for her when she wakes, I don't think she's eaten recently."

"Ah, mom? Wouldn't it be better for me to go to the market for you?"

His mother's eyes twinkled. "Would you rather go shopping, or stay and take care of a cute girl?"

Damn, Ranma really hated it when his mom asked questions like that. "Um...take care of a cute girl?"

Nodoka stood. "Be nice to her, she's had a rough time."

"Okay mom."

* * *

Akane groaned. She hurt all over, her head was pounding and her legs and arms were sore and her stomach was clenching in painful cramps.

"Hey, you awake?"

Akane cracked one eye open at the question, to see a boy, the one she asked about finding Aunty Saotome's house.

"Who are you?" She croaked.

"Oh, sorry, my name's Ranma Saotome. You asked about my mom's house so I brought you home. She's out right now, but should be back in a half hour or so."

So this was Ranma. She'd heard a lot about him from Aunty when she visited. He was supposed to be quite the martial artist, and of her own school too.

Akane tried to moisten her dry lips before answering, without much success. "My name's Akane Tendo."

"Uh, yeah, hi. Hey, you want some juice? Mom figured you'd be hungry and thirsty."

"Yeah!"

Ranma helped her sit up and she drank the glass of juice, not caring what kind it was. When she'd finished Ranma presented her with a bowl of rice, which she grabbed and ate in haste. It wasn't until she was licking the bottom of the bowl that she realized she was eating like a starved animal.

"Uh...thanks. I was really hungry." She said lamely.

"No problem. Anything else I can do for you?" Ranma asked.

"I could use a bath." Akane admitted.

"Sure, I'll go ready the furo and find a robe or something for you to wear when you get out."

* * *

Akane leaned back in the hot water with a sigh and stared up at the light blue ceiling of the bathing room. She felt #so# much better. After three days of wandering the streets looking for Aunty, a nap, some food, and a hot soak felt like heaven.

She grimaced as that thought reminded her of the reason she was looking for Aunty. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought about her father's unreasonable demands. How could he try to force her to marry some boy she'd never even met! She'd been so angry and upset at the way he didn't care what she wanted that she had fled the house. Only when she'd wandered the streets for several hours did she realize she couldn't go back. Not with her father caring so little for her happiness.

She forcefully pulled away from those thoughts. There'd been enough tears already. She had made it to Aunty Saotome's. If anyone could help her deal with this, it was her.

There was a light knock on the bathroom door. "Can I come in?" Nodoka called through.

"Aunty! Please do."

The older woman came in, laying a towel down to sit on the edge of the furo. "You look better." She said looking over the girls face, "Has my son been taking care of you?"

"Yes, he's been very kind." Akane almost hated to admit that any boy was nice, but anyone who gave her food when she was that hungry deserved a little slack.

"Good. Now would you like to tell me what's wrong?"

"I...It's Daddy. He wants me to marry some boy I never even met." Akane explained her father's announcement and his demands that she marry. The tears started partway through the story and she finished it with her face buried in the woman's kimono.

"Akane," Nodoka said in a stern voice.

'Oh no, she's going to make me go back.' Akane thought.

"You may stay here as long as you like Akane-chan. I'm going to go have a talk with your father." Aunty still sounded angry, but the anger was obviously not directed at her.

"You mean it Aunty? I can stay here?" Akane asked hopefully.

"Of course. You finish your bath, I will go to speak to your father. Ranma will take care of anything you need." Nodoka stood and brushed her kimono off with unnecessary force.

"Don't worry Akane." She said before leaving the bathroom. "We'll work something out." Then she was gone.

Akane leaned back feeling much more hopeful. With Aunty on her side she had a much better chance of getting out of this, or at least of having some kind of choice in the matter.

* * *

Ranma sat leaning against his bedroom door.

Akane was getting dressed in his room so she could raid his closet as necessary. She certainly couldn't wear that gi she'd had on, and they had to go out for dinner. His mother had left, saying she'd be gone overnight, and had left money for him to take Akane for dinner. When he'd offered to cook she'd just said Akane needed some cheering up and this would help.

So now he was waiting outside his door. He was hungry, but girls always took #so# long to get ready that he'd probably be here for at least an hour or maybe...

"Okay, I'm ready."

Ranma fell backward into this room when Akane slid the door open. She giggled as she looked down at him.

"You shouldn't lean against the door when you know someone's about to come out." She pointed out.

"I expected you to take longer to get ready."

"I'm hungry. Anyway, what do you think?" She asked, turning around.

She was wearing an older pair of his black pants and a white sleeveless shirt. The pants were a little tight across her hips - a problem he was familiar with - and the shirt was a little big. She was carrying his red sweatshirt, which didn't really fit him anymore.

"Looks good. Didn't any of my mom's stuff fit?"

"Just the underwear, she's taller and thinner than I am. The sports bra that was in your closet was too big. Speaking of which, whose is that? Most guys don't have a bra in their closet." She said with a grin.

"Umm...that's hard to explain."

"I bet."

"Hey, it's not what you're thinking."

"Uh-huh. Well you can tell me about it later. For now, let's go. I could eat a horse." Akane said, grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the door.

* * *

Akane was having a good time. They went to what was obviously the local high school hangout. Many people greeted Ranma, though no one came up to talk to him. They took a corner booth in the back and started a long technical talk on Anything-Goes martial arts, ate a huge meal, and then switched to talking about their lives.

Ranma acted like a real gentleman the whole time. He didn't stare at her chest, didn't make any suggestive comments, and didn't even try to brush against her. Were it not for the sports bra she'd found in his closet she'd wonder if he was gay. Of course if his girlfriend wore a C cup bra, there wasn't much reason for him to look at her chest.

Then Ranma started talking about what had happened since he'd returned from his long training trip with his father over a year ago. The Chinese girl who whose village law said Ranma was her husband, the Okonomiyaki chef who thought they were engaged, the thing with the daughter of a man with a takeout-food empire, Ranma had even more trouble with unwanted fiancées than she did.

She was having a good time, but she was also recovering from three days of wandering around without sleep or food. She started yawning uncontrollably shortly after the double fudge sundae.

"We better get back, you look tired."

Akane yawned again. She was getting #so# sleepy. "Yeah, sorry, I guess I haven't recovered from my trip yet."

Ranma nodded and gave her a reassuring smile and went to pay their bill. He chatted for a moment with the counter guy and she leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes.

She was asleep in seconds.

* * *

Ranma looked down at the sleeping girl shaking his head and smiling slightly. He yelled for someone to hold the door for him as he picked her up. He had to put up with a little good-natured teasing, but his reputation kept it from getting out of hand.

The walk home was short, and she wasn't very heavy, so he had no trouble getting her back and up the stairs to the guest room. He pulled up the covers and whispered a good night.

As he was leaving the room she half woke up and murmured something that might have been 'good night'. Ranma smiled again and closed the door.

He kept smiling as he walked down the stairs. He hoped Akane would stay a while. It would be nice to have someone his own age around, especially one who was a martial artist. Of course she might freak when she found out about his curse, and she would find out. He'd half expected to get splashed while they were out tonight. If she were staying here, she'd have to be told.

He'd just have to hope she didn't think he was some kind of freak.

* * *

Akane stumbled out of the guest room and managed to make her way down to the furo. A full night's sleep had helped a lot, but she still felt groggy and slow. Since she wasn't about to go jogging this morning, the best way to wake up would be a bath.

After nearly stumbling into a closet by mistake, she managed to remember where the bathing room was. She stripped off the clothes she'd been wearing the night before and stepped into the bathing room. She heard a little 'eep' as she came in. There was a little redheaded girl sitting on a bathing stool with her hands over her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here." Akane said. The girl wasn't so little, she noticed. In fact that bra she found in Ranma's closet could easily belong to her. So, after she crashed last night Ranma had his girlfriend come over to spend the night. Well, she owed him from his help, she wasn't about to tell anyone about it.

"It's okay." Akane said to the girl, who was still covering her eyes, "I won't tell Ranma's mom he invited you here."

"It's not like that." The girl protested. "And could you please cover up?"

"If you want, we're both girls though, what's the problem?" Akane grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. "Okay, I'm covered."

The redhead opened her eyes but still avoided looking directly at Akane.

"So if you're not Ranma's girlfriend, who are you?" Akane asked.

"I...I guess I better tell you the truth. Just stay covered up for a minute and I'll explain."

The girl dumped a bucket of water over herself, rinsing off the remaining soap, and stepped into the furo. Akane blinked as her hair changed to black, and her face and body seemed to shift slightly so she looked like...

"Ranma?" she screeched.

"Yeah." His voice once again the one she was used to. "Now you know my dirty little secret."

"You... You're a girl?" She asked.

"No!" Ranma nearly shouted it. "I'm a guy. It's just...a curse. Pop and I fell into these cursed pools in China and now cold water turns me into a girl and hot water turns me back."

Oh." Akane looked down at her feet, not sure what to say, and noticed that she wasn't very dressed.

"Uh...I think I'll go out and wait for you to finish." She said faintly.

"Okay."

Akane left and waited in the changing room, just standing and thinking.

A magic curse! She didn't know if she should be excited or horrified. At least it explained the bra in Ranma's closet. Changing for gym class must be a real pain, and swimming class would be impossible, not that she didn't have her own problems in swimming.

Ranma came out of the bathing room with a towel wrapped around his waist. She looked at him carefully. It was hard to believe he'd just been a girl. He sure looked like a guy now, and a very good-looking one too.

He was looking down at his feet, she didn't know if that was to avoid looking at her or because he felt embarrassed by the curse.

"Akane, I'm sorry about this. If you want to leave I'll understand."

"Leave?" Akane squeaked. Her own problems crashed back down on her. "No, I don't want to leave! I...why would I want to leave?"

"A lot of people don't like freaks like me." He said bitterly.

Akane's own troubles suddenly seemed less important. They certainly were nothing like this! It must be really tough. Akane's heart went out to the boy in front of her. How did he manage with a curse like that? How many people had found out and been afraid of him? Without thinking she put her arms around him and gave him a hug.

That's when the door to the changing room opened and Aunty looked in.

* * *

Nodoka smirked. "I see you two are getting along well."

Akane and Ranma looked at her like two deer caught in the headlights of a truck, not letting go of each other or even blinking. She had originally assumed it was some kind of odd accident, which seemed to happen to her son on a regular basis, but the way they were reacting it might be more than that. Not that she minded.

"Well, I'll just leave you two alone and start breakfast. I look forward to your explanation."

She slid the door closed, heading for the entryway where she'd left Kasumi waiting.

"Did you find them Aunty?" Kasumi asked.

"Oh, yes. Akane and my son were in the changing room. I think Ranma just finished and Akane was about to get in the furo. Would you be a dear and take a robe into the bath for Akane?"

"Certainly, I want to see her anyway." Kasumi started rummaging through the pack of Akane's cloths she'd brought from the Dojo.

'That should give them enough time to get decent.' Nodoka thought.

* * *

Ranma and Akane stood still as statues for a few seconds before Akane realized that she was still holding Ranma and quickly stepped back.

"Oh, man." Ranma muttered. "This is not good."

"Uh...I'm sorry Ranma. I was just...you seemed so sad and..."

"It's okay Akane. Actually, thanks...that was nice of you. As for mom, we'll just tell her the truth."

"That's probably best. I guess I better go take my bath."

"Right, oh and Akane?" Ranma said with a grin.

"What is it?"

"You're really cute in just a towel." Ranma said.

"You...you...pervert!" Akane tried to sound angry, but his grin was infectious. She knew he was teasing her, but that didn't mean she could let him get away with a comment like that. She swung her arm up for a slap, slowly enough that he could easily duck under it.

He didn't duck, but took the light slap without losing his grin. Unfortunately she lost something, the towel, having been loosened during her hug with Ranma, was dislodged completely by the motion of her arm and fluttered to the ground.

Ranma's hand came up to cover his eyes again. Unfortunately that hand had been holding his towel on and it joined Akane's on the floor.

And, of course, that's when Kasumi opened the door to the changing room.

"Oh, oh my! Excuse me." She closed the door.

Ranma felt around for his towel with his eyes closed while Akane retreated into the bathing room.

"That is soooo not good." Akane heard Ranma groan through the door.

* * *

Akane looked back and forth between her sister and Aunty. She and Ranma were nervously trying to explain what happened in the bathroom. Aunty was giggling, she didn't know if that was good or bad. Kasumi didn't look convinced.

"Well, that was so pathetic that I have to believe it." Aunty finally said. "And we do have other things to discuss." She put her chopsticks down and turned her attention to Akane. Akane put her own chopsticks down and felt herself tense up. This was it.

"Akane, I spoke with your father. For now you will stay here, Kasumi brought some of your things."

"Thank you Aunty."

Aunty Saotome looked sidelong at her son. "Would you like Ranma to leave?"

"Umm...No, I know about Ranma's problem, it's only fair he know about mine."

"Very well. Your father has set up a meeting with your potential fiancée for a few months from now, during winter break. We will all go visit your family for the New Year holiday. At that point you will be given a choice."

Akane sighed and relaxed. She could refuse the engagement and have her life back. In the meantime she could stay here and not have to hear her father talk about family honor and her duty all the time. "Aunty? What about school?"

"As your old school is too far away, we will arrange a transfer to the school Ranma goes to. You should be in his year. Maybe you can help him get his grades up." Aunty said the last with a hard look at Ranma, who muttered something and looked down.

"That... that sounds wonderful. Thank you Aunty." Akane had mixed feelings about switching schools. No more Kuno, or the hentai horde trying to beat her up every morning, but she'd miss her friends.

"Akane, daddy was very upset when you disappeared like that." Kasumi scolded.

Akane narrowed her eyes. She wasn't too happy with her father right now.

"Kasumi, I'm sorry over any worry I might have caused you or Nabiki. As for daddy, I doubt he was as upset as I was."

Kasumi frowned a little. "All right Akane, I understand why you're upset. This is a matter of family honor though, you should think about that."

"I have. Isn't it normally the oldest daughter who gets stuck with such things?" Akane loved Kasumi dearly, but she was just a little too subservient sometimes.

"Usually, but I'm not a martial artist like you, so daddy thought it would be better if you were to inherit the Dojo."

"I think we should talk about this some other time." Aunty Saotome broke in. "Akane has to get ready for school."

"Oops, I better go get ready too." Ranma jumped up and ran upstairs.

"I put your bag in the guest room." Aunty said. "The uniforms are brown, so try to wear something that will match. We'll get you a regular uniform tonight."

"Thank you Aunty!" Akane paused before going up to the guest room. "Kasumi, thank you for coming. I really #am# sorry if I worried you."

"I do understand Akane." Kasumi said gently.

With a smile for her sister she ran upstairs. Hopefully, Kasumi had packed her brown skirt.

* * *

Kasumi sighed. It had been odd to be helping Nodoka get Ranma and Akane ready for school, rather than getting Akane and Nabiki ready herself. It had been a bit hectic, as they had to leave early and stop at the office to make arrangements.

Taking a sip of the tea Aunty had brought out, Kasumi closed her eyes. Things were going to be different for Akane here. That might be a good thing, it would at least get her away from some of the problems she had with the boys at school and also get a chance to know Ranma.

This whole deception bothered her though. "Are you sure we shouldn't tell them, Aunty? I don't like lying to my sister," she asked, looking at the older woman.

"We need to give them a chance to get to know each other first. With your father's premature announcement this is the only way. We don't need to actually lie, though we must be very careful what we say around them. Your comment about the Dojo was almost too much of a hint."

"Sorry, Aunty. I didn't realize it until after I spoke. She should be able to figure it out, I was very surprised when you said she was here. Who else would daddy engage her to except the only other Anything-Goes trained martial artist her age?"

"If they figure it out, then so be it. Hopefully they will at least be friends by then."

"Maybe more, they certainly got off to an... interesting, start this morning." Kasumi said with a small blush.

Nodoka smiled. "Yes, they did, didn't they."

* * *

"All right Miss Tendo, would you tell us a little about yourself, please."

"Certainly Teacher. My name is Akane Tendo. I'm a martial artist of the Tendo School of Anything Goes. I'm staying with Ranma Saotome and his family for the next few months."

"Thank you. I assume you will have a proper uniform soon?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well, there's an empty seat behind Mr. Saotome. Perhaps you can ensure he stays awake in class."

There were some giggles among the class. Ranma looked disgusted.

She found her seat and started listening to the teacher. He was incredibly boring, as only a history teacher can truly be. At least she hadn't had to beat up a couple dozen boys that morning.

Ranma's head started to droop and he started snoring lightly. She bopped him lightly on the back of the head and he started awake. Maybe keeping Ranma awake in class would be enough of a challenge to keep her occupied.

* * *

"I can't believe you fell asleep in class five times!" Akane said.

"And I can't believe you whacked me in the head that many times!" Ranma rubbed the back of his head for effect.

"Stay awake in class and I won't have to."

"Yeah, I guess. Let's eat here, okay?" Ranma waved to a spot under a tree.

"Looks good. Who do you usually eat with?"

"Sometimes some of the guys, sometimes by myself."

"Really? It sounded like a lot of the girls were interested in you, don't you ever eat with them?" Akane asked. Actually that was an understatement. Most of the girls she talked to were jealous that she was living in the same house as him. A few had accused her of 'moving in' on him.

"Uh, I used to have trouble with a lot of them coming around and giving me food and stuff." He admitted.

"They don't anymore?"

"Not too often. I got a little annoyed with some of the more persistent ones and asked to be left alone during lunch."

Akane froze with her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. "And that worked?" she asked. She certainly hadn't had any luck stopping the horde from attacking her.

"Not right away, but yeah they did. The other students kinda listen to me since I got some of the bullies under control."

"Oh." So Ranma was the best fighter in the school as Kuno was at Furinkan. He was certainly nicer than Kuno, who'd never done anything to stop the random violence and a lot to encourage it. She wondered if he was better than her, not that it really mattered without that stupid announcement Kuno made. Actually she kind of hoped he was a little better, it would help her training more to fight someone better.

"Hey, Ranma? You want to spar after school?" Akane asked.

"Sure, I'd love to. I usually spar with pop in the morning, but he was still gone this morning. From what mom said I think he was staying with your family. Say, are you sure you're up to sparing? You were pretty messed up yesterday."

"I'm fine. I might not be at my best, but I can spar."

"Cool. I want to see some of those Tendo school moves you were talking about last night."

"I'll be glad to show you...the hard way." Akane grinned at him. It would be nice to have a regular sparing partner again.

(To be continued)

As I said above, this chapter was the work of Tom Wrensch. All reviews will make there way to him. I will be continuing the story from here, with his blessing.

Thank you for reading.

Trent O'Donoghue


	2. Chapter 2

Meeting Later - Chapter 2.

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 04/05/2010

* * *

After he finished his bento, Ranma sat watching the girl before him talking about her old school between bites of her lunch. He answered occasionally but was content to let her do most of the talking. It was... nice. Good, even. To have an actual friend who seemed to enjoy most of the things he did. All his supposed friends were either after him for something or just not on the same level.

Akane watched Ranma while describing some differences between Furinkan and Bokuto High. She knew he was paying complete attention to her, while only just paying attention to the conversation. The cynic in her said what he was thinking about, but after his previous behavior she didn't think that was it. Why did those blue eyes and gentle smile seem to evoke a trust in her that she had never felt about another boy, was it just he was already engaged to others? And so was she for the moment, she recalled with a depressed sigh.

For a few moments they just sat silently looking at each other under the tree. Neither the sunlight of the beautiful day, nor the noise of the full student body having lunch in all directions, intruded. A slightly nasally boy's voice unfortunately did.

"Hey Red."

Ranma glanced at the student before facing Akane again. "Go away, Toko."

Akane appraised the lightly built boy. Slightly shorter than herself, with short brown hair and eyes, wearing a rumpled uniform. He almost reminded her of a boy from her school, but instead of creepy baggy eyes, this boy stood with confidence, almost over confidence, like he had nothing to fear here.

"Ah come on Red, introduce your new fiancée."

Akane noticed a group of four other boys in the background, obviously watching them with interest. She recognized at least two of them from her new class.

Ranma shifted with obvious distaste. "Akane Tendo, meet Toko Ashuma, Toko meet Akane. Akane is a friend of my family's."

Toko turned and bowed to Akane "My condolences." The group of watchers began sniggering at this.

Akane's anger flared, "Why? The Tendo Family has always been happy and honored to call the Saotomes' friends. Why do I need your condolences?"

"You mean you don't know? Hahahaa, you don't know about the freak..."

"She knows," Ranma's voice was short and sharp.

"Ahh, so another lesbian, eh?"

Akane was on her feet, mallet in hand before Toko could blink. Her under arm swing would have hooked him over the school ground but was stopped an inch from Toko's terrified face. Akane's eyes followed the hand on her mallet up the arm, and up to Ranma's face.

"He ain't worth it," he said simply, nodding in the direction of Toko's friends, three now held video cameras trained on them. "Go away Toko, Akane's had a rough week, she don't need any of your, or Ohata's, crap."

Toko finally found his voice "Yeah, I'll let you two get back to your girl talk." He quickly walked back to his buddies.

Although Ranma made no response at the comment, Akane could feel him bristle at the insult. "Hey Toko, I may only have known Ranma one day, but it's obvious, even with his curse, he's ten times the man you'll ever be!" A couple of claps of support came from nearby groups of students, along with glares for the leaving boys.

The answer Toko gave wasn't heard by the pair but got another laugh from his group of buddies as they left.

Akane looked over at Ranma who just sat passively watching the group depart. He was still tense and she could feel the control in his battle aura. "Do they always do that?"

His eyes came around to look at her, and slowly she he could see the tension bleeding away. "Normally I just flat out ignore them, they ain't worth it. None of them are martial artists so I can't challenge 'em, and they try to bring charges against me every time they can. They all follow Jiro Ohata, a rich boy in the next grade. We... had a disagreement when I came here and he's been out to get me ever since." A single chuckle passed through him like a private joke, but it was accompanied with a brief pained look that Akane knew it wouldn't be that funny. "Ohata has a restraining order against me coming within fifty meters at school and two hundred meters outside. He used to use it to try and herd me around the school, but some of the teachers got fed up and forced him to pick a place for his lunch."

"Sounds like a real jerk"

Ranma just nodded his agreement before taking a slightly deeper breath "Hey Akane, thanks for what you said about me to Toko, I... thanks." He could only watch Akane's smile growing before turning his gaze down to his feet.

Akane's smile grew even more at his shyness, but before she could answer the bell rang for the return to classes.

* * *

Akane was looking around the neighborhood as she and Ranma walked towards the local shopping mall to meet with Aunty Saotome. She glanced up at Ranma again as he walked on the yard fences, his shoulders were still slumped as they had been since lunch. She had to say she was impressed by the grace he had, never missing a step, even when it didn't seem that he was watching where he was going. "Ranma, can I ask you something?"

Broken from his thoughts, he dropped to the sidewalk beside her without breaking stride. "Sure, what's up?"

"I just wanted to know why those boys in class were making cat noises?" Although he never even twitched when the boys in class did it she would swear he froze for an instant before continuing.

"I... have a problem with c-cats."

"Oh, what kind of problem? Are you allergic to them?"

Before she could get an answer a purple blur struck Ranma with astonishing force, grinding him face first into the pavement, even as a large object caught her across the chest. Akane flung the bicycle away from her and gazed in wonder at the purple haired woman, wearing an all too tight silk dress, who was lying across Ranma, using her hands to pry open his lips into a smile. "Nihao Airen! Happy see wife?"

Halfway through his unintelligible reply Shampoo's head snapped around, her eyes darting over Akane, appraising her like an opponent. "Who this, Airen? Stupid Panda Father no sell you again?"

Prying his mouth from her grip, Ranma managed to answer, "Get off me and I'll tell ya." Shuffling from under her he managed to get free and stand up. After quickly rubbing the tire tracks on the back of his head, he made introductions, gesturing with his hands. "Akane, Shampoo. Shampoo, Akane Tendo. She's a family friend who will be staying with my family for a while. And no, she ain't another fiancé."

Akane saw Shampoo tense for a fight the moment Ranma said where she was staying, but she didn't react herself more than shifting her stance to something slightly more stable. She didn't want to provoke this strange girl.

"Mother in Law let other woman stay with Airen, and not let wife?"

"Shampoo, you know mom doesn't recognize your claim as my wife, especially after all the walls you broke. Akane is just a friend, and she's staying in the guest room."

The Chinese girl's face was suspicious before it split in a feral smile "She fighter yes? We have little match?"

Shampoo brought her arms up into a ready stance as Akane slid her foot back and tensed her arms, "Any time you're ready."

"No! Akane's still recovering from a bad week, you can fight later. And no kiss of death."

Akane was livid, how dare Ranma interfere in a challenge. But the anger was derailed by the glace he gave her when he mentioned the kiss of death. She remembered his tale of being chased by Shampoo half way across Asia intent on killing him. She relaxed her stance as Shampoo did the same.

"Akane live here now, be in tournament, yes? We fight then?" Picking up her bike and mounting it, she turned with another grin, "You make sure all better for tournament, Shampoo no want to hear excuse of too too weak when beat you."

Clenching her fist, Akane watched the bicycle burn up the road before turning out of sight. She turned a glare on Ranma for an explanation.

He winced at the glare, "Look, Shampoo is really good, she is supposed to be the best of her generation from her village. She don't play nice and she don't play fair. Even if you do beat her, she'll start that kiss of death crap. It just ain't worth it." He could see in her eyes that she would hold off but there would be a fight between them, he just hoped Akane was good enough to not get hurt. A smirk came to his face, "Besides, if you fought now, we wouldn't get to spar tonight."

Akane saw the grin and couldn't hold her anger. "Fine, I'll let it go for now, we need to meet Aunty soon anyway." As they walked down the street she remembered something Shampoo said. "So what's this tournament?"

"The Juban district open martial arts tournament, it was started last year by Sakura Shishimi's father. Sakura had let Pop borrow this 'All you can eat' gold card for all the restaurants her father owns, on the condition that he or I win the tournament. He of course used it almost constantly for two weeks and was so fat he was lucky to make the finals, so I had ta win it. Actually it was pretty funny, since no one knew of my curse I ended up fighting and winning in both the men's and women's divisions."

"You won both?"

"Yup."

Akane could see the confidant aura he was projecting. "Really? Well don't feel too bad when I thrash you tonight."

"Oh yeah?"

Akane put on a reasonable imitation of Ranma's voice "Yup."

The light, teasing banter continued well into the mall.

* * *

"Ranma, why don't you take these groceries home while Akane and I buy her new uniform?"

Akane almost giggled at the relief on Ranma's face. He had been carrying the shopping bags and looking like a man on death row, heading for a lethal injection of boredom, as he followed the his mother and Akane towards the clothing stores.

"Sure thing, mom." With a lightning quick glance towards Akane he was gone, fleeing the mall, surprising several shoppers as he passed them.

As soon as he vanished, the two women continued towards into one of the shops "You'll have to excuse my son, he doesn't like shopping very much. Tell me, what did you think of your new school?"

"Oh it's fine, it seems great. And aside from missing my friends, I think I'll really enjoy it there."

Nodoka's brow creased lightly at something in Akane's tone, "But?"

Akane was silent for a few moments before continuing. "I'm not sure, but I think I'm causing Ranma problems with other students."

Nodoka nodded as she began to flick through a rack of school dresses for an appropriate size. "Any problems in particular?"

Akane noted the resigned tone in her voice and decided it would be best to tell it all. "I think a couple of the boys started teasing him this afternoon to make him look bad in front of me. The looks the others and the teacher were giving them was as if they had heard it before, but not recently, and they obviously didn't like it."

Akane watched the older woman blink back some tears before gathering her voice. "Which was it, calling him 'Red' or the cat noises?"

"One of them was calling him 'Red' during lunch time, but that didn't seem to annoy him that much. But during the afternoon classes a few boys were making cat noises, I asked him and he said he had a problem with cats but didn't get to say any more."

Spotting a couple of chairs against one wall, Nodoka led Akane to sit before continuing. She had a handkerchief in her hand ready for the tears that had already started, and got worse as the story went on. "When Ranma was young, my husband put him through a monstrous training exercise in the hopes of teaching him a very powerful technique. The technique is banned because few survive and those that do suffer for the rest of their lives, but my idiot husband taught it to an eight year old boy."

Akane held Nodoka's hand in her own until she calmed enough to continue. "Because of this training he is terrified of cats. We have taken him to a host of psychologists in the hopes of getting him over it, but in some ways they just made it worse. You see, when he can't escape the cats, his mind breaks and he thinks he #is# a cat. He gets down on all fours, moving like a cat and even sounds like one. It's still him deep down, but he doesn't think like a man, he treats people like a cat would if it trusted or liked the same people." A smile came to her lips, "I'm the only one he'll actually go to when he's in the Nekoken. I remember the first time he jumped through the window into the house and made himself comfortable on my lap, it was... nice as he just sat there and purred."

"Some of the boys at school found out, and used it to annoy him. I suggested he go to another school but he refused. I think he sees that leaving would be losing to them. The teachers have been very good by suspending people who bring cats or water guns to school but they can't stop the boys from picking on him."

Nodoka's face took on a serious expression. "Akane, one of the reasons I was happy to have you move in was to hopefully become a friend to my son. He doesn't have close friends and the girls pursuing him don't really try to understand him as a friend."

The younger girl nodded, "I noticed that no one really talked to him at the school even though he seemed liked by many, especially the girls. Some of them seem to think I'm moving in on him."

Nodoka seemed to brighten at this but it quickly faded. "I wouldn't be too worried about them, my son's ability to attract admirers is only matched by his ability to find trouble. But, they are just more things on a long list that drive those that may be friends away, his curse or the cat fist is bad enough but we've had days where martial artists show up trying to earn a name by beating him, he has had spirits hunting him, or even monsters rampaging through."

"Aunty Saotome, I will try my best to be a friend to your son." The formality in her voice was rewarded by a smile and a hug from the older woman. "I've had my share of insanity and spirits so I can deal with that...besides, Ranma is the first boy I've ever met I didn't have to beat up for being a pervert."

Nodoka stood to continue shopping. "Oh yes, Kasumi said you had your own problems, what were they about?"

"Well, the biggest problem started with an idiot upperclassman called Tatewaki Kuno making a proclamation to the school..."

* * *

Ukyo Kuonji was hard at work on the evening rush in her restaurant. Ucchan's Okonomiyaki echoed with the noise of children's laughter. Ukyo looked over at her head waitress Konatsu, amazing a children's birthday party with magic and tricks from his Kimono. She watched the three adults with the party, wondering what they would do if was revealed their beautiful dark haired waitress was a cross-dressing guy.

The tone of the sizzling Okonomiyaki batter changed fractionally and her arms automatically moving in to flip and begin adding toppings. Her eyes watched without seeing as one was finished, the batter was poured for the next. Her mind was free to fluttered from thought to thought - business decisions, future plans, past memories, how hard it would be to make a Okonomiyaki out of a certain purple pussy cat, fat panda or black piglet, if any of her workers deserved a pay rise, dreams of her pigtailed future husband, and how to convince said pigtailed future husband to hang around more...

"Sorry, sorry, I know I'm late, I'm sorry."

A blur accompanied the voice as it shot through the restaurant and out the back. Moments later a young woman, dressed in a kimono similar to Konatsu's, came back in still apologizing. She had long black hair tired up in intricate arching bows on either side of her head. Her blue eyes raced around the room before meeting the brown eyes of Ukyo.

"It's okay Junko, you're only a few minutes late sugar."

A sudden sad frown crossed Junko's face before she quickly stepped up and hugged her boss, "How are you holding up?"

Ukyo turned in the hug, back to the grilling food, flicking her long brown ponytail back behind her back. Her voice was exasperated, like she was resigned to listening to something she knew she wouldn't care about. "What is rumored to have happened this time?"

Junko's eyes reflected curiosity as see stared at her boss. "You haven't heard? Oh no, now I have to tell you."

The tone hadn't left Ukyo's voice "Start at the beginning."

"Right, I was talking with Gendo, yeah I know think he's a perverted weasel and I shouldn't bother with him but he's friends with Uri who is so cute and just got a car and blah blah blah..."

Ukyo half listened to the voice droning on, meandering along a vague story.

"blah blah blah new fiancée blah living with Ranma blah."

"What!" Ukyo noticed everyone in the restaurant looking straight at her "Ah, sorry, please continue your meals." She grabbed the smaller girl and drew her head in, "Repeat the last bits you were saying."

Junko's eyes un-focused as she tried to remember where in her story she was up to.

After a few moments Ukyo ran out of patience. "New fiancée?"

"Oh, right, apparently Ranma brought a new fiancée to the school today, she's living with him, and she's his martial arts student, and she vowed to the school to sleep with him."

Added to the stress of running her business, this was more than enough to blow Ukyo's top. A blue aura sprung around her as she began muttering, "I'm gonna kill him, and her, and Genma, and Gendo, and ... " The small cooking spatula in her hand was quickly crushed down into a ball.

She took several deep breaths. 'Focus. Remember last time'. She had heard Ranma was sleeping with every girl in school before, but that was just a blatant exaggerated rumor and her temper had cost her big points with Ranma's Mother. Though why Ranma was hugging all the boys in the school whenever they sneezed she still didn't know.

"Start serving Junko, I'll stop by Ranchan's after the dinner rush."

* * *

Ranma looked over at Akane as his mother removed the empty plates from the table, she had been quite ever since she and his mother got home. "Hey Akane, you all right? If you're not up to sparring, I can always beat you tomorrow."

Anger clouded her vision until she saw that grin and couldn't hold it. With a wide smile she stood "Oh no, it wouldn't do to keep you waiting for your defeat."

Nodoka re-entered the room with a slight smile on her lips. "Akane, your gi is clean and in your room. Try not to injure yourselves, it is a school night." She watched with a thoughtful smile while the pair dashed upstairs to get changed. With a silent prayer, she turned to get some tea to drink while she observed their sparring.

As she sat on chair on the back porch, her son dropped from the second story of the house to the grass of the smallish back yard and began warming up. The rustling of his dark gi reminded her of a memory of her husband fighting in a tournament when they were courting. She always did like to watch him fight back then, and now attended any fight she knew her son was going in.

She was happy to see how excited Ranma was just about something as simple as sparring. It was probably because he was against a new opponent who wasn't out to kill him, just someone who wanted to better themselves in the martial arts.

A minute later Akane bounded out of the house in her off-yellow gi. As she stretched, she glanced around the yard, noting it was mostly empty but for a small garden bed and two thick trees, which had already lost their leaves for the coming winter.

Finally the two were ready, standing a couple meters apart and bowed. Akane didn't waste any time, crossing the distance and opening with a kick, before moving into an aggressive routine.

Akane knew that with the help of her Father and Grandfather, she was good, very good. But with the way Ranma only needed to block one attack in her first seven routines she knew she was outmatched. She had wanted someone a little better to train with, but maybe not this much better. Strengthening her focus, she dove into the combat trying every feint and trick the Tendo School had. A few more blocks, but if anything he was dodging more flamboyantly with that stupid grin. After several minutes she felt her anger rising. "Hey, you going to attack or just dodge all night?"

She frowned as she studied his face. Where the grin had been there was now ... discomfort? Dislike? The light in his eyes dimmed like he was going to do something he really didn't want to. He began to launch a few feeble attacks towards her. They looked all right but he was aiming into her blocks and with virtually no power. It was in the middle of a back flip that she realized what it was - he didn't want to hurt her. He thought she was some weak girl. 'Grrr, I'll show him!'

Waiting for another basic kick from Ranma, she used one of Grandfather's moves. A lightning quick wrist flick flipped him face down in the dirt, hard. Diving on top she pinned his arms and midsection down in a complex leverage lock, one leg shooting out against the trunk of the tree beside them as bracing. Then she stressed the lock and waited for him to surrender from the stress.

Ranma was still trying to find out what the hell had happened. Pulling his face out of the grass, he twisted to look up at Akane's straining face. His shoulder was screaming for release from her grip. For all his strength advantage she had him pinned. He knew in a real fight he could use at least one advanced move to knock her off, but he wouldn't cheat like that in sparring. This is what he got for not respecting his opponent. He knew he'd have to give in soon if he couldn't break free, but looking up to surrender he got his inspiration.

"Damn you're cute."

Akane was straining to hold the strength of her pin when he said it, her mind instantly locked up. She briefly acknowledged a cry of "An opening!" before she was thrown off to land several yards away. Regaining her thoughts, she flipped to her feet to face Ranma, several yards away.

"That was a dirty trick, Ranma."

Still stretching his arms and rolling his shoulder, he shrugged, "Heh, Anything Goes."

His expression turned serious and he watched her for a few seconds, "I'll admit it Akane. That is the closest I've come to a defeat in a long time, ya got some real good moves Akane." His grin came back full force "But you're gonna have to do better to surprise me next time."

Taking a new ready stance, she smiled tightly. "You haven't seen all I've got yet, Ranma."

"What, you gonna walk in on me bathing again?"

With the shock on her face, Ranma's smirk widened further and he rushed in. Though he was only tapping and giving hard, quick shoves, Akane found herself almost continuously on the defensive. His aerial style was exhilarating to fight against, he could move around her like the wind.

Over the next few minutes she got in two more of Grandfather's wrist flicks to put him down, but he sprang away too quick for her to take advantage. A third attempted he jumped with and landed on his feet behind her. A body check and Akane was toppling.

She found herself in a similar predicament to the one she had had Ranma in, although Ranma wasn't using his strength to stretch her into submission. Thinking fast, she started with his counter, gazing over at the far fence.

"Hi Shampoo."

Ranma's grip didn't lessen but he did look over where she was gazing, slight panic on his face. It was enough for her to spring a knee into the ground to roll them over. Suddenly Ranma was gone, and she continued to roll onto her back, but as quickly as he was gone he was back and a moment later her knees were locked together by his ankles and he was poised above her, pinning her forearms to the ground with his hands, arms extended, out to the sides.

"Give up?"

Akane struggled for a few moments before realizing the futility, brushing her thoughts over her advanced techniques before struggling again, racking her mind for some comment that would work on him. Only 'Meow' came to mind, and quite frankly she'd rather kiss Kuno again than use such a low blow... 'Bingo!'

Ranma saw the look of defeat in her eyes, and then an odd play of disgust flickered past followed by an instant of elation. Still wondering at the disgust, he was caught as her headshot forward and he felt her lips on his right cheek. His mind locked.

Akane felt his strength vanish on the kiss and was about to cry 'An opening', when she felt the danger. Flipping both her and Ranma into the air, she dodged the three razor sharp spatulas, sinking into the ground where she had just been pinned.

"RANNNMMMMAAAA!"

Akane regained her footing and focused on the girl landing in the yard. Her long brown hair was tied with a white ribbon into a ponytail flowing down her back. She wore tight dark slacks, a rich blue tunic and a bandolier of more spatulas. In one hand she held three more spatulas ready to throw and the other held a huge spatula. Above all else, she was angry, very angry.

Akane's mind managed to match the girl before her with the description of the Okonomiyaki chef fighting style Ranma had mentioned the night before. Which made her the fiancée of the man she just kissed. 'Oops' didn't really seem to cover it.

Before Ukyo could get any further Nodoka's calm voice interrupted. "Ukyo dear, what brings you here tonight?"

Ukyo looked in disbelief at the woman sitting calmly on the porch holding a teacup. Ukyo wanted to hit someone, she wanted to yell at someone, but with only months until the meeting, she couldn't afford to hurt her chances any more. Focusing her anger, she forced a smile to her lips. "Why hello Mrs Saotome, I had decided to drop by to see my fiancé and found another woman kissing him. Perhaps you could explain why?"

Nodding her approval to Ukyo's calm request, Nodoka's eyes twinkled as she read Ukyo's restrained fury. "Ukyo, meet Akane Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Akane meet Ukyo Kuonji, one of Ranma's fiancée's."

Akane suddenly found her feet very interesting under the burning gaze of the vengeful fiancée.

"Ah hey Ucchan, how's it..." His voice failed as the withering stare focused on him. "It was just sparring, it didn't mean anything." Ranma knew he hadn't helped when Akane winced.

"Perhaps we can discus this over tea. You two dust yourselves off while Ukyo helps me get some tea." Nodoka stood and gestured for Ukyo to enter the house, waiting to follow the young woman in.

As they brushed the grass off themselves, Akane could hear Ranma almost chanting under his breath, "bad bad bad."

"Um, sorry, I wasn't thinking about it as a kiss, just a counter."

"Yeah, I know, like I said Anything Goes. It's just the way my life goes that I end up in bad situations like this. It worked though."

* * *

The two of them entered and knelt at the table, as Ukyo and Nodoka returned from the kitchen with a tray of fresh tea.

After a few quite minutes of silent drinking, Ukyo began, "I actually came around to find out why there is a rumor saying that Ranma has another fiancée, one who is living here and has vowed she will sleep with him."

"What!" "Huh?"

Nodoka shook her head at the reactions. "As you can see Ukyo dear, Ranma and Akane don't know anything of this supposed vow. Akane is a friend of the family who is staying with us, in the guest room, and will be until at least the New Year. At least you seem to be in control unlike the last time when the rumors you heard turned out to be false."

She ignored the reproach in Nodoka's voice, "So Akane is here until the meeting on Ranma's Birthday?"

"Somewhere around there, possibly earlier."

This prickled Akane's memory about something Ranma had said the night before. "Can I ask what this meeting is? Ranma said something about it last night when we went out, and Ukyo seems to think it's important." Akane voice almost failed to finished the statement as Ukyo's withering glare returned in force at them 'going out'.

Ranma spoke up. He was looking down at his tea, some shame on his face, "Well, I told you last night that Pop engaged me to Ucchan and stole the dowry, and to Sakura for free food, and my actions leave me a small part responsible for Shampoo's honor amoung her people. Well, mom found out there are apparently two other engagements. They haven't shown up yet so mom decided on my eighteenth birthday everyone can stake their claim, then mom and I will decide which is the most valid and let the others beat up my father."

Nodoka's voice was very even, "Ranma, I have been in further contact with the family of one of the fiancées, and they are interested in holding to the agreement." Seeing Ranma groan, bend down, and start to gently bang his head on the table, she steeled herself to continue. "This fiancée's claim is the oldest, even over yours Ukyo. She should be in attendance in January."

Ukyo was having a horrid day. Yet another supplier to her business had been bought out by Shishimi, finding out there was a fourth contesting fiancée, a new girl living with her future husband, the same new girl kissing that same future husband, that same girl now gently patting her future husband on the back... "Quit touching my Ranchan!"

-Bang-

Ukyo instantly regretted trying to squash Akane's arm with the giant spatula. Akane had yanked her arm clear, and Ranma was squashed into the floor taking a chunk of table shaped like his pigtailed head with it. Ukyo looked shamefaced at her future mother in law, who was shaking her head.

"Ukyo dear, please calm down. Akane is a friend of Ranma's who was sympathizing with him..."

Ukyo wasn't taking this. "Akane has been here less than two days, and been with my fiancé on one date, shared a lunch, and been found rolling around in the back yard kissing. When should I get upset? When they're found naked together!"

As Akane leaned Ranma back into a sitting position, he began to catch up, unfortunately not quite enough. "Hey, that was an accident! Our towels just fell as Kasumi walked in."

Ukyo left furious to stunned, Akane was redder than her name, and Nodoka was again proved that her son needed little of the abundant help he normally got to get into deep trouble. Seizing the opportunity to speak Nodoka attempted to head off Ukyo's anger. "Ukyo, you know the situations my son sometimes finds himself in. Perhaps if he kissed you the way Akane did him to break out of the hold Ranma had on her, you could see this is all just a misunderstanding?"

The chef's eyes lit up at the opportunity to kiss Ranma. She had found in distinctly unfair when his mother had announced that until his eighteenth birthday, she had made Ranma swear on his family honor not to accept or initiate any form of intimacies with any fiancée. She knew it was to stop Shampoo and Sakura from their continued attempts to bed him, but she still would have liked a bit of snuggling with the big lug. She'd show him what he was missing out on!

Ranma was obviously self-conscious as he, red faced, moved around the table to beside Ukyo. As he moved in to kiss her on the cheek, Ukyo took advantaged and tilted her head to his lips. With Ranma's inexperience at kissing, he locked up stock-still. He didn't even react as he felt Ukyo's tongue forcing its way through his lips. He suddenly found his lips and face slammed hard into the wall.

"That's not how I kissed him!"

Ukyo was trying to be angry with the angry girl in front of her, but found she couldn't help but smirk at the memory of the stolen kiss. As her smirk was obviously flaming the anger in Akane, she left it where it was. She turned her gaze to Ranma's mother expecting the Saotome frown of disappointment to be directed at Akane for once, but she didn't know how to deal with the appraising look her future mother in law was giving the girl.

Nodoka had been hopeful at Ranma's fleeting glance at Akane when she had asked him to kiss Ukyo was some guilt reaction, but this reaction from Akane was a pleasant surprise. She had known Akane was a very active girl from her visits to see her and her family over the years that Ranma was on his training trip, so she wasn't surprised at the physical nature of her reaction. But such a jealous reaction was very pleasing. Feeling Ukyo's gaze, she decided to calm this situation.

"As you can see Ukyo, Akane's kiss was just as innocent as she proclaimed. I believe that the two of them have yet to do their homework, so perhaps if you drop by later in the week?"

Ukyo obviously didn't like being dismissed like this since she knew Nodoka knew Monday was the least busy of her nights for her shop and she wouldn't be able to come around till next week. Forcing her best smile to her lips she made quick bows to those around the table starting with Nodoka "Oh, I understand, have a good evening, nice to meet you Akane. I'm sure we'll see each other again real soon. Ranchan Honey, be sure to stop by the shop during the week, I'll make your favorite"

Nodoka quickly ushered Ukyo out while Akane dragged Ranma off for homework.

* * *

Akane could just hear Auntie's voice as she came down the stairs for breakfast. She idly scratched an itch from the new school uniform as she entered the room.

Ranma was winding his shoulder through its axis while his other hand held pressure to it. His mother looked on disapprovingly.

"Fine, I'll go see the Doc on the way to school. I had to see him after school anyway."

Akane suddenly realized she had stretched that shoulder when she had him pinned the night before.

Before she had a chance to say anything Ranma spotted the guilt on her face. "No, ah, it's okay, it was popped out of its socket last week. It ain't your fault, I figured it was healed."

He let out the breath he was holding as most of the guilt left her face, but could still see a little in her eyes.

"Well, hurry up and eat, and we can see this doctor on the way to school."

As they sat down Ranma began to grin, "One fast breakfast, begin."

Nodoka pointedly looked away. Out of all the training techniques Genma still used with their son, the speed eating and the food fighting was one she found most disgusting. She had hoped that with Genma staying with the Akane's family she could reclaim breakfast to normal polite eating like she had dinner and lunch.

Akane watched as Ranma's chopsticks began dancing around the plates with impressive speed. With a grin she started with techniques she hadn't used in months.

Turning to look when she heard Ranma cough with too much food in his mouth, Nodoka was amazed that all the food but that on her plate was gone. Ranma was looking bug eyed at the empty plates and Akane, who was demurely wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Akane was trying desperately to not laugh at Ranma with his checks puffed out full of food, chopsticks holding a fish sausage, in bug-eyed shock at being one upped. "Ah, that was delicious. Hurry up and finish so we can go, Ranma."

Ranma loudly swallowed what was in his mouth. "How the heck do you do that? No one eats that fast!"

Akane was grinning from ear to ear, "La Belle France School of Martial Arts Dining, I warned you I had more moves you hadn't seen. Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I...I'll get my bag."

* * *

Akane walked along the sidewalk while Ranma led the way from the fence towards the Doctors clinic. Akane was too amused with Ranma trying to figure out what had happened to interrupt him with questions. She was giggling silently at the motions his hands flowed through moves in front of him, trying to figure out what had happened.

Ranma hopped down from the fence and led the way into the large clinic. "Here we are." As he was in front, he didn't see Akane stiffen as she read the names of the Doctors off plaques by the wall.

A stunning woman in her early twenties with long dark hair in intricate plats was doing paperwork at a small desk in the reception and waiting area. "Good morning Ranma, how are you?"

"Hi Sena, I'm great, the Doc in? Oh, this is Akane Tendo. She's staying with mom and me for a while, Akane this is Sena Ono."

Akane was stunned, suddenly having the answer to the question of where Doctor Tofu Ono had gone.

Sena was a bit nervous at Ranma's friend. First she walked in wearing a scowl, then a forced smile, now she was pale and blank. Picking up the phone receiver she smiled at the girl, "Hi Akane. Yes Ranma, my brothers in, let me page him."

Akane's mind finally caught up. 'Brother! He's not married! Then why did he leave?'

Sena spoke into the phone while watching Akane, as a brilliant smile crossed her face before going back to the original scowl. 'Odd girl.'

Ranma was of course oblivious, as he stood waiting.

"Hello Ranma what can I... H-Hello Akane, how are you? I haven't seen you in such a long time."

Even Ranma could pick Tofu's nervous tone and turned to Akane to see her with arms crossed, fingers of one hand drumming her elbow, and a dark look glaring up at the taller doctor.

"I suppose you're wondering why I had to leave?"

"That would be a start. No word, not a letter, nothing. You just vanished."

"I... Mother was sick and needed me closer to home, and..."

Akane's voice was rising and Ranma slinked back out of her vision not wanting any of her anger directed towards him. "You still could have left a note. I was crushed, and Kasumi was worse. She hid it, but she was convinced you left because of her."

Sena broke in at this. She was preparing to anyway as she was always protective of her family, especially since their Mother had passed on months before. But when she saw her brother's glasses fog when Akane spoke of her sister she put Akane's family name and the stories her brother had said together. Her anger quickly turned on her brother. "Wait! This is the sister of the legendary Kasumi Tendo? You were moping around here for months after coming here, nearly passing out whenever the name Kasumi came up, whining along saying how she couldn't have liked the idiot you became whenever she was around you. Now I find out she liked you so much she was hurt when you left. You are in such big trouble, big brother."

Sena gave her brother one more dark glare before taking Akane's arm. "Akane, let's have a quick chat?"

The two men watched the two head out into one of the examination rooms, Ranma turning to face the Doctor. "Heh, I remember you saying something about knowing the other family that does Anything Goes now. Sorry."

The older man continued to look at the door the girls had left through for several moments before sighing and turning back. "Don't be, I deserved it. And I think Sena's been possessed by the spirit of my mother the way she's been trying to get me married off. Oh well, what did you come for?"

"Oh yeah, I strained my shoulder again while sparing."

Tofu chuckled lightly while prodding his shoulder. "With Akane?"

"Yeah, she's pretty good. Hey, you ever hear of a school of martial arts dinINNGG..."

As quick as the pain came it vanished. Tofu looked thoughtful as he rotated the joint, "No, can't say I have, new opponent?"

There was a slight reddening of his face as he quietly admitted his defeat. "Akane beat mEEEE... at the breakfast table this morning."

This had Tofu chuckling, as he finished with Ranma's shoulder, "I didn't think Ranma Saotome lost to anyone? Could the mighty one have met his match?"

"Hey, Ranma Saotome don't lose, she just surprised me today, I'll win tomorrow."

"Is that a challenge Ranma? You may be the better for now in sparring but you'll have a hard time beating me at the breakfast table."

Ranma turned to see Akane and Sena had returned, and nodded firmly. He posed to beseech the heavens. "I swear I'll beat you at breakfast before the end of the week." Large waves crashed against the rocky point he was suddenly on.

Sena's voice carried amusement, "Sorry to interrupt your posing Ranma, but you do have school today?"

"Oh yeah, let's go Akane." He grabbed her arm as they headed for the door.

Doctor Tofu called after the pair. "Ranma, I have your pay here, do you want it now?"

"Nah. I was thinking about asking, but I got Gym today, so I can't just carry it all day. I'll be past by on the way home. Thanks anyway Doc. See ya!"

As the two of them ran towards the school Akane looked up at Ranma. "Hey Ranma, what was Doctor Tofu going to pay you for?"

"Huh, oh he taught me how to give massages and I earn some money, giving them on Sundays."

Akane thought for a moment, "Is it hard?"

"Not really, do you wanna learn how?"

"It's just I could use some money for things, and would feel more comfortable if I paid my way a bit."

"We'll talk to the Doc after school."

(To be continued)

Special thanks to MWhaleK and Sakurabana for proof reading and advising.

Thank you for reading,

Trent O'Donoghue.


	3. Chapter 3

Meeting Later - Chapter 3

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 03/05/10

* * *

Akane's stomach growled as she finished cleaning the bathroom.

She had been staying with Aunty and Ranma for a week as of tonight, and things had begun to settle to the point that she was almost set on her daily routines, well on school days anyway. Wake up, morning run and do some practice kata and training, bath, fight with Ranma over breakfast, school, homework, dinner, sparring, bath, and bed. A single visit to Ukyo at her restaurant and the three surprise visits by Shampoo were the only times she heard from Ranma's fiancées, not a bad thing since both were quite hostile when Ranma or his Mother weren't watching. She had begun making friends at school too, although sorting those who wanted to be friends to get close to Ranma was thinning those ranks quickly.

Since today was Sunday, Ranma had gone to give massages down at the clinic with Doctor Tofu, but he had said he would be back in the afternoon to begin tournament training, whatever that was. Although Doctor Tofu didn't say no to her learning some of the massaging techniques and helping on Sundays, Nodoka eventually argued convincingly that she still needed some help with her cooking and would prefer teaching her on Sundays rather than Akane working. Akane knew Nodoka was meaning this as a form of bridal training, but was unwilling to oppose the woman who had been a good friend while she grew up without her own mother, and who now had let her stay in her home. Besides her cooking did need improving, although Aunty was harsh making her toss away all that food she had made this morning because it wasn't 'Up to standard for her table'.

Entering the main room she began to straighten everything, idly listening to the TV on in the background. Her stomach cried out again and she glanced at the clock, 'Nearly lunch time'. Her breakfast battles with Ranma had continued, and he had yet to figure it out, the idiot. He looked so down after he lost again this morning. He had secretly starved himself since breakfast the day before in the belief his hunger could make him slightly quicker. And he had been using chopsticks in both hands since Friday breakfast. It was actually a good thing for her confidence because he was still better at normal sparring.

Akane giggled at another memory of Ranma from during the week. He had still been full at midday from his large breakfasts, and couldn't finish his lunch, while she normally attacked her lunch full force after only eating half her breakfast. Ranma had seen this as yet another challenge and would dig back into his to the point of making himself sick. Though she was a bit worried at the thought of gaining a few pounds through all the snacking she'd been doing.

Today was the end of his oath, and after he declared he would beat her before the end of the month, two weeks away, she had taken pity on him. Taking him off to the bathroom so that Aunty wouldn't see, Kami knows what she'd think, she showed him the basis of Martial Arts Cuisine. She opened her mouth as wide as it would go and stuck her whole clenched fist in. This was, thankfully, as far as she'd gotten in proper La Belle France teachings. She had nearly choked on her own fist, as she laughed at Ranma's reaction. He watched fascinated, then started nodding his head and humming thoughtfully, but the look in those blue eyes said he had no idea what to do about this.

Another deep rumble from her stomach, this time was echoed by the TV. Turning, she saw a commercial for a Ramen shop chain. Some super attractive, over endowed, ultra slim model in a form hugging leather fighting outfit attacking a huge bowl of noodles with her chopsticks and, most likely using trick photography, flicking globs of the Ramen noodles to hungry sumo wrestlers before digging in for herself, with some lame caption about 'Shishimi Takeout, fighting the biggest hungers Japan wide' coming up under her smiling face.

Some idle yet vicious thoughts about 'anorexic models' with 'plastic figures' playing at being 'martial artists' and 'eating anything they wanted' passed through her head before she heard a rhythmical tapping at the front door. Getting up and straightening her clothes and apron as she walked towards the door, idly thinking about 'anorexic models' with 'plastic figures' playing at being 'martial artists' and 'eating anything they wanted' showing up and beating her up for such thoughts.

Opening the door with a hello, she looked up into the face of that same 'anorexic model' with a 'plastic figure' playing at being a 'martial artist' and 'eating anything she wanted' from the TV commercial. Her long golden hair was arranged in twin plaits down her back. A short, tight fitting, red dress was squeezed onto her over-endowed figure, and her long bare legs ended in matching sandals of intricate straps. A gold and silver brooch hung into her cleavage and her gray eyes bored into Akane from her fine, high cheek boned face.

Sakura Shishimi looked down appraisingly on the short girl before her. A slight smile crossed her lips as she realized it was merely a maid and not yet another rival for her love. In her most melodious voice she spoke down at Akane. "I'm here to speak with my fiancé, Ranma Saotome."

Akane blinked twice in the face of yet another of Ranma's fiancées.

Before she could answer Nodoka's voice came from behind her. "Oh I'm sorry, my son is currently running an errand for me, anything I can help you with Ms Shishimi?"

Sakura's eyes lit up. Passing a magazine and a cup of ramen that had appeared in her hands to Akane she stepped past, whispering, "Take a break." Akane looked briefly at the fashion magazine cover to see a picture of Sakura, and a caption saying 'exclusive interview inside'.

"Mother in law, so good to see you. I was just hoping to find my fiancée, as I managed to get this whole afternoon free from my busy modeling career, and was hoping to share some time with him."

Nodoka's voice sounded to Akane as far too saccharine, "Unfortunately Ranma isn't going to be back until at least very late tonight. I am so sorry but your timing couldn't be worse. You see there is no way I could recall him either."

Despite the sweetness in both their voices Akane could see the coldness in each other's eyes.

Sakura finally broke her gaze with her future mother in law and idly fanned herself some sheets of paper. "Then perhaps you could pass these along?"

"Of course, what are they?" Taking the papers, Nodoka's eyes never left Sakura's.

"Oh, just the pre-approved paperwork for Ranma and your husband to go straight past the preliminary fights to the final televised events at the tournament. The executives decided some of those who did well last year should be allowed straight in."

"Oh dear, my husband isn't in town for the next few weeks, he's going to miss the tournament."

"Oh in that case..." Sakura's hand went out to grab one of the two sheets, but Nodoka moved them to idly tap them against her chin.

Nodoka's eyes glanced at Akane's with an unsaid question. Akane nodded twice quickly.

"There is another Anything Goes student in the area, perhaps Genma's slot could be passed down?"

"Oh, I don't know, the producers may not approve of just anyone going through."

"If you're worried about their fighting ability, I can happily say Ranma himself acknowledge during their first sparring session that he had very nearly lost. You remember don't you, Akane?"

The surprise showed on Sakura's face before she swung her head back towards Akane.

Akane stared into the narrow glare of Sakura's eyes, before carefully choosing her words as Aunties lead had shown. "Oh yes, Ranma said that it was as closest he had come to a defeat in a very long time, and that he admired the Tendo school's moves." She did her best to maintain a vague smile on her face under the glare.

"Tendo School?"

"Oh yes," Nodoka's voice was still very saccharine, "The heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts is staying with us for the time being."

"Oh dear, if he's not local to Juban he won't be allowed to compete."

"Ah, but while we have the two heirs training together, they are staying here and attending school together and will be for the foreseeable future."

Sakura finally decided that it wasn't worth the effort of arguing. Faking a conspiratory smile, she spoke with a hushed voice. "I'm sure we can work something. I'll send one of the producers around to affirm the paperwork, to let him take your husbands place."

"Wonderful. Speaking for both halves of the Anything Goes Martial Arts School, I thank you."

Sakura's voice took on a slightly higher pitch. "Oh no need Mother, I mean we're almost family. Give Ranma my love, Bye Byeee." Turning quickly she moved back through the still open door. A couple of men in dark suits waited by the gate for her, a black stretch limo parked behind them.

"My son will marry that overindulged little brat over my dead body."

Akane very nearly choked on the mouthful of ramen she'd snuck. It was as close to out right swearing she had ever heard Aunty come.

"I thought Ranma was over at the clinic today."

"Oh I'm sure he is, but Sakura knows that's where he would be today. Which means the people at the clinic saw her coming, and hid him."

"What? How bad is she?"

"Oh, the last time she found him at the clinic, she cornered him in an examination room, and used her family's take out martial arts in an attempt to strip and bed him. Her technique relies heavily on chopsticks as a weapon and Ranma had yet to come up with an effective counter without attacking her out right. He eventually got away but his clothes when he got home, my, at first I thought he had gotten a poker dot version of his favorite outfit. Then I realized the dots were flesh colored. The bruises he had, everywhere tiny bruises. And Doctor Tofu said the examination room look like someone had let off a black and red confetti bomb."

Akane shut the door with her foot as she took another mouthful of ramen. Gulping it down, she followed Nodoka to the kitchen. "Ranma had better start praying this fourth fiancée is more his type because his choices seem pretty slim."

As Akane walked past to put the ramen cup in the bin, she missed the smile Nodoka gave her.

* * *

Nodoka pulled out a recipe book from a shelf above the fridge. "I was thinking we might try baking this afternoon, how about we try cookies?"

"Sure." Akane's voice was less than enthusiastic.

"You don't like cookies?"

"No, I love cookies. It's just the last time I cooked some, they hurt a couple boys."

"Badly?"

"No, they were all back the next day, but they were all pretty upset."

Nodoka's eyes narrowed. "How many boys?"

Akane answered without looking up from her shoes. "Twenty Two."

Nodoka gripped the bench and stifled a giggle "I'm sure it was as much bad ingredients as anything else."

Her voice was almost a whisper "I only baked fifteen cookies, and there were three left over."

The burst of laughter from the hall covered the giggle that escaped from Nodoka's lips. The two women turned to see Ranma rolling on the ground, howling with laughter.

Not happy at Ranma's reaction, Akane promptly stomped out of the kitchen. His laughter was cut short by her taking surprisingly little steps while leaving over his body.

Regaining control of her own mouth Nodoka put as much reproach into her voice as possible as she spoke to the still giggling pile in the hall. "It isn't really nice to laugh at a girl like that Ranma, you should go and apologies."

Ranma looked up at his mother and could see the twinkle of mirth still in her eyes. "Fine, I'll apologies but don't give me that pout, you were busting a gut trying not to laugh."

"That's not the point. I assume you came home to make sure that Sakura had moved on?"

"Not that hard to guess, Mom."

"She sends her love, but she also dropped off the paperwork for her tournament. I assume you still plan on entering?"

With Ranma's nod she continued, "She has decided that that since you and your father did so well last year that the two of you don't need to go through the preliminaries. Since your father is staying with Akane's father, Akane and I convinced her to give the spot to Akane... You don't like this?"

Ranma stopped shaking his head and shrugged. "Oh no, it's just going though the preliminaries would let her have a go in that stupid ring and get a grip on the rules. Don't matter that much, I can teach her."

"Go speak with Akane then, while I ready some lunch."

Ranma didn't lose his grin while getting up and dusting himself off. He found Akane coming down the stairs in her gi. "Hey, look... sorry, I wasn't laughing at you as ...I didn't mean it as... look if it happened to someone else you would a been rolling on the ground with me, it's just a funny story." He looked into Akane's eyes hoping he had gotten it right.

Akane looked back into his eyes and finally nodded, "Okay, it would be a little funny, but I feel really bad. After that no one would even look at my food. Except Kuno, and I wouldn't want him to have anything I made. Hey, since I'm going in this tournament you want to give me some tips on how to beat Sakura?"

"Sure, get change and I'll meet you outside."

* * *

Akane had to break her warm up to dodge and roll to the side as Ranma's leaping kick from the roof put a large divot in the grass where she stood.

"Good reflexes, that'll help against Shampoo. Let me warm up some and I'll run you through the rules. Hey, so who's this guy, Kuno, anyway?"

Ranma was beginning to suspect that the odd look of disgust that he had seen on her face a few times now was specifically for this Kuno guy. Starting with a groan of disgust Akane began to describe Tatewaki Kuno.

"Tatewaki Kuno is the most despicable, dishonorable, lecherous, cheating, insane, insensitive, delusional, idiotic jerk you will ever hear of."

Thoughts of a certain school grand master came to Ranma's mind, "I don't know, I know some pretty perverted idiots. Hey isn't he the Japan Kendo champion?"

"Yes, he is, the cheat. Over a year ago the idiot decided he was in love with me. He kept challenging me for a date. After I started refusing he would issue the challenge and attack without giving me time to refuse. Then one day he saw another boy in school asking me out, so he declared that to date me they must defeat me. After that, most of the boys would charge out every morning that I went to school to try to beat me to date me. Kuno would wait until after them so they could wear me down. He still didn't win but he got close more than once. Then he got this wishing sword..."

"Wishing sword? Does he still have it?"

"He's still got the sword but he used the three wishes. The first wish was for a date with me. With the sword's help, he defeated me and all the school pressured me into accepting to date him. Then on the date he wished to kiss me. It paralyzed me so I couldn't resist him as he kissed me."

"Wait, he used magic to force you to kiss him? What an asshole!"

Akane looked at the odd combat posture Ranma had taken, but brushed the thoughts away to continue the story. "Yeah, then he used the final wish to make him the greatest Kendo Champion to ever live so that he may win more dates from me."

"With a flash he was. Just one fight, he had me down with ease. He used to be able to send shock waves through the air, now tornados and cutting winds. He improved so much! After a second date he started pestering my father for an engagement. Fortunately my sister and I distracted him into attending tournaments to prove how good he was. I was going to run away from home when Grandfather stopped me and started training me in his special attacks. When he returned I was better than ever before and I put him down hard. He's still after me, but I'm back to beating him."

"This Grandfather of yours sounds pretty cool, must be a great martial artist, does he do the Anything Goes?"

"Oh yes, but he's not really my Grandfather, he just likes to be called that. He's certainly got his faults but he's helped me too many times, I owe him so much. And after he stopped groping my sisters, my friends, or me, he is actually fun to be with."

Ranma's face paled, "Groping! No, you don't mean the old letch!"

"Master Happosai?"

Ranma's face changed again, to red with anger. "I have to drive him off from hanging around here every few months. Dirty old pervert has been almost as bigger pain in my life in one year as my father has over my whole life, and that's a lot."

"He's not that bad, you should try to get along with him. I wouldn't be half the martial artist I am without Grandfathers help."

"He is that bad, Akane, because of his enemies my Mom's been kidnapped twice, I've been beaten up & fondled, and my friends have been hurt. He himself has caused me no end of pains. He's tried to use magic to make me love or obey him five separate times. Never-ending attempts to steal my girl underwear, constant attempts at getting photographs of me. No, helping you is the only thing I've ever heard of him helping anyone but himself. The only help he's given to my training has been to try and get me to give up the art. Hell, he's trained my enemies in techniques to beat me. I don't want anything to do with the little creep!"

Ranma got up and began a warm up kata, leaving Akane sitting, lost in thought. She knew Happi caused problems for people but he'd been mostly harmless, now she'd heard from someone she'd come to trust he'd really hurt people.

"I'm sorry Ranma, I don't know what to say. I'd hate to think how bad my life would be without his help."

Ranma really didn't want to argue with Akane, especially over the old fart. "Look Akane, just forget about it for now. Let's just get some training down, okay?"

* * *

Ranma faced Akane after some light sparring, a light sheen of sweat on her face. "The Shishimi tournament is one on one, best of three fights, in a ring. I'll take ya to the place I used for practice last year later on. You lose if you're knocked out, thrown from the ring, or pinned for more than a three count. You can submit, but if you get knocked out and don't awaken within five minutes you loose the next fight and that round."

"Who made these rules?"

"Sakura most likely, that knock out rule is for sure. So is another rule, no replacement of equipment, and no one can come and help until the round is settled unless you're bleeding. Last year she used a sleep drug to knock me out in cursed form, Mom was able to wake me up just in time with the smell of food."

"It sounds like Sakura has this pretty well rigged."

"Well that's Sakura's main style for ya, an' I've only told you the tip of her pile of tricks. I'll show you her main moves so you can put her down before she can try her dirtier tricks."

After they exchanged smirks Ranma continued, "Anyway the ring itself is made with traps to trip and throw off Sakura's opponents..."

* * *

Akane admired the view while trying to regain her breath, wiping the sweat from her face with her hand before wiping it on the leg of her black pants. Since they were training outside of the house, they had agreed Akane should wear some of his older, smaller, clothes rather than her gi or sweat clothes. The stares she'd gotten from men as they'd run here in the blue sleeveless Chinese shirt and black slacks had been more than a little flattering, she had even caught Ranma watching once.

After lunch Ranma had led her at an even paced run out into some woods over ten miles away. High up on a hill was an old water storage tank, a good seventy feet tall and at least a hundred and fifty foot across. After leaping the fence and climbing via some old rusting piping, they were at the top and able to look back over Bokuto and the larger Juban area. It was actually very pretty. Up here they could see larger buildings like the school, police station, hospital and recreation hall and could make a decent guess where Ranma's house was, all against the backdrop of the distant skyscrapers.

The roof of the tank was dented and pitted and needed a new coat of paint. The low concave slope of the top gave a dome feel but it had warped over time so bulges and different gradients where common. Aside from the locked stair/ladder, the only thing to rise above the height of the tank were eight thick rounded steel pillions, evenly spaced around the rim, and even then they only rose about four feet over the lip. Their footsteps boomed lightly inside the tank beneath them.

Akane was stirred from the view by the sound of Ranma flipping and rolling away from her across roof. It wasn't until after he was more than half way across she realized he was blind folded. "RANMA!"

Ranma smirked at the panic in her voice, but continued the last of his rolls and flipped to his feet facing her. Taking off the blindfold, he did a quick check. He was only two feet from the rim. He had meant for five feet but he had no qualms about the minor error. "Idiot! What the hell do you think your doing?"

"This was how I learnt to trust my sense of touch. You have to feel the floor as you go or ya twist wrong and hurt yourself. It ain't that hard. Come on, your turn, no more than a one count on any one foot or hand."

Akane was still amazed at what Ranma considered training at times. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with them when it came to actual practice but in theory they were ludicrous. The walking on fences was on the whole a good practice. She had, when her attire allowed, joined him on the fence. Although she couldn't run while doing it she was getting better. He would also stop by the children's play area at the park on the way home from school to practice leaps and kicks through jungle-gyms and blindingly fast rushed laps crawling through a wooden castle set.

Akane set out with drops and rolls, feeling self-conscious of the lack of aerial movement compared with Ranma. After only a few meters she landed wrong and twisted her wrist enough to stop her movement.

Ranma's voice came across slightly disappointed, "Come on, you can do better than that. Feel the ground as you touch and adjust. Stay light until your body tells you it's safe."

Akane began again doing slightly better but a lot slower.

"Faster, speed it up."

Akane started feeding on the anger his voice was beginning to give her. She sped up trying to feel her way clear.

Finally she made it over to him.

"Good, now this time jogging around the outside."

Akane looked up at him wiping away some of the sweat from her face. "I had to do it the hard way before the jogging?"

Ranma's face split in an evil smirk as he tossed a strip of cloth to her. "Hard hasn't even started."

"Oh no, uh uh, no way."

"Oh yes."

"Ranma, it's insane, I'm not going to run around the edge blind folded. I could fall."

"I'll never let you fall."

Akane locked eyes with him as a blush started creeping over her features. The way he said it, not with his usual arrogance but more of a promise to never let her be hurt… Visions of his weak attacks during sparring, how he caught her when she failed while fence walking, and other minor incidents flashed through her mind. His eyes showed absolute innocence, that he didn't even realize what he had said. She couldn't face those eyes any more, so she snatched the blindfold from his hand and began tying it.

Ranma began backing a few steps away while she finished tying. 'Wonder what's with her?' "Okay, now just follow my voice." With that he began walking backwards around the tank reciting a prayer song he'd heard from some old Shinto monks when he and his father had been training. It maintained a complex and long patterned beat that was very hard to grasp. He picked it so as not to give Akane a rhythm but force her to pick the pace herself, changing the pace the instant she seemed too catch it.

Akane began walking after him taking tentative steps trying to use only a small area like her toes on the uneven metal. As the minutes passed Ranma would call for more speed, then more to force her to use the whole foot. But no matter the criticizing, she still wouldn't run.

Visions continued vying in Akane's mind with her focus. The vision involved her tripping and rolling off. Still she tried, continuing to follow Ranma's voice meters ahead, enforcing a desire to roll to the right, and the center of the tank, if she fell.

After a second lap she felt herself trip to the left. Even before she touched the metal, let alone rolled off the edge, she felt his strong hands on her shoulder and she was flipped back to her feet. Ripping the blindfold off, she saw him standing casually a few meters away. She could feel the reverberations of his feet in the metal dome, saying he had just got back there.

"What? Come on, a few more laps."

She stood there panting, trying to think of something to yell at him for but nothing seemed that justified. Putting her blindfold back on, she began following his voice. The knowledge that he really wouldn't let her fall brought strength to her focus and soon she was rushing over the uneven metal.

Ranma ran her around the dome a few more times, before beginning zigzagging over the dome. Soon he could see the tiredness in her face and decided to skip to the end. He darted forward snatching the blindfold from her head as he flipped over her.

Akane was suddenly worried when he went quiet, then the blindfold was ripped from her head. Just as her eyes adjusted to the light, she ducked the punch at her face. Sparring was on.

* * *

Jiro Ohata rushed down the street. He hated running anywhere, but this may be the opportunity he needed. He politely greeted two young women he sped past as he turned a corner. The young man was a handsome figure in the dark blue slacks and white shirt, his brown hair perfectly set and his dark eyes flashed. He glanced at his reflection in some shop windows and idly thought he might even be more handsome since he lost build when he swore off martial arts.

He gazed at the front of the Bokuto School looking for the damage. One of the wire fences had been knocked down, he noted as he approached. He opened the flap on the mobile phone he carried and hit redial before holding it to his ear.

"Hello, Toko's phone."

"It's me, where are you?"

"He's just making a third loop of the gymnasium. I don't think he even realizes."

"Good, I'm almost there."

Flicking the phone shut and into his pocket. He slowed as he approached the gymnasium, straightening his clothes. He gathered his wits, knowing how unstable this person was, but if he wanted Ranma Saotome to suffer, this man was far too useful.

Turning the last corner he spotted the sullen man walking towards him. His clothes were dirty and dusty, even the bandanna that held his dirty hair. His shoes and leggings showed dried mud and a branch with some dead leaves stuck out from his backpack.

"Ryoga Hibiki?"

Ryoga's eyes shot up as he lifted his head to look at who ever had interrupted his thinking. He took in the young man standing before him. "Do I know you?"

"Probably not, but I know you. My name is Jiro Ohata, and I'm a big fan of yours."

Ryoga snorted at the idea of having a fan. The only person he knew who had fans was Ranma.

Ohata saw the anger cross the lost boy's expression and the clenching of his fist. A smile came to his lips as he played out his plan. "Any enemy of Ranma Saotome is someone I like."

Ryoga's thoughts were frozen by this. "You hate Ranma as well?"

"I would be more than happy to see that red haired freak ground into dust."

Ryoga had a sinking feeling. "You do know he's a guy don't you?"

A disgusted look crossed Ohata's face. "Of course, I do. Better than you would. Regardless, we both want that hermaphrodite beaten and broken." As the confused look passed over Ryoga's face at the word 'hermaphrodite', Ohata mentally ticked his assessment of the lost boy's intellect.

Ryoga gave up trying to guess on what 'hermaphrodite' meant and cracked his knuckles. "Just lead me to him"

Ohata chuckled, and signaled Toko to come over. "Great enthusiasm but I have a better idea. Defeat him before all of Japan."

* * *

Ranma watched from atop the fence as Akane hobbled home. "You did real good today, Akane. I'm surprised that you had that level of endurance."

She ignored him as she continued to walk stiffly back to the house. The sun was just setting and the streetlights coming out. She was beginning to regret not taking his offer to carry her.

"If we shoot over straight from school to practice there you should be ready for the tournament in two weeks."

Akane decided to conserve energy and so just gave him a dirty look.

"I mean it, you really did well. After the lack of opportunity training from you over the past week, I was afraid you were actually more tomboy than martial artist."

Akane simply reacted. Exhaustion forgotten, the mallet was out and tracking the pigtailed martial artist.

He just dodged and smirked. "What was that? It was feeble."

Twisting, Ranma began dodging backwards down the street towards home. He loved seeing this 'light angry' mode she'd get in. It was different from her other 'serious' angry mode. This was more... just... well tomboyish anger.

Ranma's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of launching chains. A sound he found all too familiar. Dashing forward under the mallet, he lifted Akane up and jumped.

Panicked when Ranma suddenly hugged her, Akane reacted as per training. An elbow caught Ranma in the face before she shucked out of his grip. Finding herself in mid air she rolled and landed on her feet on the roof of a house beside the road.

Ranma landed beside her but still dazed from the head blow he landed on his face, before sliding off to fall back to the ground, landing in a bush.

"I have you now, Saotome."

Looking down at the man addressing a post box wrapped in chains, Akane frowned in confusion. He was wearing a set of white robes and a pair of glasses sat uselessly atop his head. His long hair was dark and obviously well kept. Although his Japanese was flawless, his accent was Chinese.

"You will answer one question before I kill you," stated the figure before the post box.

Akane decided she was tired and wanted this over with. "Hey, that isn't Ranma."

"Eh?" The figure placed his glasses on and looked up at the girl on the roof, before staring back at the post box. "Oh, thanks. Do you know where he is?"

"Ah, he just ducked out. Can I ask why you're going to kill him?"

The boy finished recalling the chains into his sleeves while giving a shrug. "Habit. I was hoping by some small chance he wasn't entering the up-coming tournament."

"Sorry buddy, but I'm in. That money is needed to pay off all the debts Pops made." Ranma stumbled out of the bushes in the front yard. Akane used the opportunity to leap down to a fence, then the ground.

"Would you change your mind if I said please?"

"No can do. So how does Shampoo figure in this?" Ranma asked, knowing she must be involved somewhere here.

"Cologne's not going to let her lose this tournament, the old mummy has been showing her a new technique. The 'Twenty Stabbing Stars'. She keeps going on about what the two of you will do as victory celebration."

"She'll try celebrating with me even if she doesn't win. Hell, she'll try celebrating just for getting IN the tournament. So what's this technique do?"

"It is supposedly one of the favored techniques of Roe Ling Pinn, the Crusher. One of the most feared Elders in our history, both for fighting prowess and ability to keep the males in check. The technique itself is only available to women. The basis of the technique... I don't know."

Ranma just shook his head as Akane approached the pair. Mousse looked at her first before bowing. "I have found him, thank you for your help."

"Oh hey Mousse, this is Akane Tendo. Akane, Mousse of the Amazons. Akanes' staying with us for the next couple months."

"Oh Hello, Shampoo mentioned... somebody... staying with Ranma."

Akane picked up on it pretty quickly and gave him a grin. "I'm sure she didn't use those words."

"Well, Shampoo isn't that good with your language," he returned diplomatically.

* * *

"You're late... Oh dear, Akane you look exhausted."

Akane looked up wearily as she entered the house. "I am Aunty, I am."

"Go have a quick bath while I set out dinner."

Akane nodded and headed quickly down the hall, eager for a soak.

Nodoka's eyes quickly caught onto Ranma's "Ranma, why is Akane so exhausted?"

He shrugged. "Training. She did really well too."

"I'm sure she did." With a sigh, she relaxed her gaze at her son. "Don't be too hard on her, she's not up to your level. Now come and set the table."

* * *

Akane watched Ranma inhale his food. Even though they weren't fighting, he still ate fast. Couldn't blame him, he was eager for a bath.

She rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the stiffness from today's training, eyeing Ranma clearing the last of his bowl.

"That was great Mom. I'm going to have a bath."

Nodoka watched her son leave with an amused look, like at some private joke. Glancing at Akane her face became more serious.

"Akane dear, do you think Ranma could be a good martial arts instructor?"

Thinking about her day, Akane swallowed some more rice. Finally she began nodding "If he learns some patience, yes. He knows a lot and is good at showing someone how to do it right, but he isn't patient when I take too long to learn something."

Nodoka nodded silently for a few moments. "Thank you, Akane. Are you enjoying training with him?"

Akane glanced towards the bathroom before a wiry grin cracked her face. "Yeah, it's been a long time since I've trained like this, not since Grandfather started training me. Most of my training over the past couple of years has been fighting perverts." The two began to giggle lightly but Akane winced slightly at the tightness in her muscles.

Nodoka watched on thoughtfully. "Akane dear, are you feeling a bit stiff?"

"Yeah, I don't think my bodies quite fit enough for what we did today."

"Akane, Ranma has been trained in five different types of massage. Maybe you should have one before bed?"

"No! Ah, that is, no thank you, Aunty."

Aunty looked at her evenly. "Is there a problem, dear?"

"No problem, I just..."

"Akane-chan, I think those perverts who have made you the martial artist you are today, have also given some... bad training."

"But Aunty..."

"Akane, I'm going to ask you a question and I'd like an honest answer. Was one of the reasons you fled your family to come here because you feared you were being forced to marry some pervert?"

Gazing into Nodoka's eyes, her denial was held back and she dropped her head and stared into her food. "I...maybe...probably."

"Akane, I'm not going to force you to have a massage, but I think you should have one, for more than just your muscles."

Akane thought about it for a while before nodding. "Thank you Aunty."

* * *

Ranma walked into the kitchen toweling off his hair in a black singlet and black silk pajama bottoms with red swirls on them. "Hey Mom, any leftovers? Akane hit the sack?"

Nodoka handed him the already prepared bowl with a gentle smile. "Hurry up. Akane's waiting for you."

"Huh, what for?" came out between gulps.

Nodoka looked back at him with a curious smile. "I suggested you give her a massage to ease the stiffness in her muscles before bed."

"Huh, good idea, probably won't sleep well other wise." Finishing the bowl he tossed it into the sink with the chopsticks and opened one of the higher cupboards, grabbing a couple of bottles of creams and oils before heading upstairs.

* * *

Ranma stepped up to the upstairs landing and walked straight into his bedroom. Lying on his bed face down was Akane. A lot of Akane. Clad in only a sports bra and assumed panties under the towel over her rump, she was quite a sight to behold. His mind locked. It wasn't the sight by itself but augmented by something more. A wanting.

Akane had her face turned away from the door not wanting to see Ranma looking at her, especially with the blush she had had since lying on the bed.

Ranma's body reacted as expected without the brain working. The mouth fell open, the eyes bugged out and the hands clenched. The hand holding the glass bottle was fine, the one holding the plastic bottle popped the lid and jetted cream up into his face and mouth. Regaining his senses, he spun around in front of his desk and put the bottles down before a towel flung through the door hit him in the face. With a silent thank you to his mother, he wiped his face and spat as much cream off his tongue as he could. The door shut with a click.

Akane turned her head to face him at the choking sound he was making but his back was turned and he was wiping his face with a towel. "Is something wrong?" She asked not sure what answer she wanted.

"No." Ranma's voice was high and he coughed quickly before swallowing. "(Bleh) No, nothing wrong, what could be wrong?" Tossing the towel over one shoulder he squeezed some cream into his hands and turned around, concentrating on the knowledge that the taste in his mouth was with him for the duration.

Seeing him turning around, Akane flipped her head back to face the other way again, her memory filtering through all the times over the past week Ranma could have been a pervert but hadn't been.

Ranma was desperately trying not to ogle her half naked form. He'd massaged all three of his other fiancées at least once each without this level of trouble, and had certainly seen his share of naked women. But none of them were Akane. Why was this different?

Giving up trying to figure it out, Ranma set his focus and stepped over, kneeling beside his low bed.

Akane was virtually holding her breath, not sure what to expect when he first touched. Regardless it wasn't the ice-cold palm on her shoulder.

At her gasp when his hand touched her shoulder and Ranma nearly panicked "What, Are you hurt there"  
Akane summoned her will. "No, it's fine, your hands are icy..."

"Oh, damn, sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

Before Akane could consider what he was paying attention to, a pair of almost hot palms came down, kneading into her shoulders.

"Wow you really are tense. Give me a sec, one, two and three." As Ranma counted aloud, she felt one hand leave her shoulder and flowed down her spine counting ridges before moving out to the side an inch and pressing. A jolt went through every nerve in her body and she jolted with a spasm. Then he began kneading again. "Much better."

"What did you... ahhh... do."

"Just a pressure point Doc showed me for relaxing people. I can't use it on most of the people I massage."

Akane felt herself melting under his strong hands. She felt as they shifted from massage types - gentle to deep to shiatsu and others she couldn't even identify. He worked the muscle groups of the shoulders around the sports bra, sometimes reaching under it to get at the lower shoulder blades, before moving out along the arms.

"Why can't you use that point normally?" came out between sighs of release.

"When the school found out I was doing the massages, several of the girls were constantly there on Sundays, then my fiancées found out and they were over there nearly every night trying to get one, and from Shampoo more, which would bring Mousse crashing in, tearing the place up. It wasn't until Mom decided to finally acknowledge Sakura's claim, from her deal with Pop, that we convinced them it would be best if I didn't give any of them massages at home and made them think they had to live without to stop the other two from hanging around here."

"So they were at the clinic every Sunday and Doc started having problems with them and others breaking appointments when they found out I wasn't available. So he allocated me to patients with medical problems and that point jolts the entire body so isn't good for tendon injuries, broken bones, and other stuff."

The two were silent as he finished on the arms and moved down to the legs. Ranma found his control slipping again and tried to start a conversation, but couldn't think of any subjects.

Akane was almost half asleep as her body relaxed when Ranma finished on her calves and was working on her knees, lifting the lower leg to rotate the joint with one hand and manipulating the knee itself with the other. She had just dozed off when he moved up to her thighs, her eyes snapping open as the thought of how vulnerable she was to Ranma right now. Between the tiredness and her relaxed state, could she stop him if he did anything?

"Did I hurt you?"

"What!" Akane's voice was very loud to both of them.

"You just tensed up, did I hurt you? Is something wrong?"

Akane heard the concern in his voice and calmed down. "No, I... dozed off and panicked. Sorry."

"Oh."

Akane calmed down running through the opportunities for being a pervert Ranma already had, as she felt him starting on her thighs again. Deciding distraction may work better as his strong hands lulled her in warmth radiating from her thighs and...

"So what's the story with Mousse? One minute he attacks you, the next you're friends."

Ranma was happy to have a topic handed to him and so eagerly began. "Mousse came after Shampoo, when she came after me from China. He is totally obsessed with her even though she treats him so bad. He firstly showed up trying to defeat me, hoping Shampoo would love him since he thinks the only reason Shampoo loves me is her stupid laws."

"Is she?"

"I gave up trying to figure that out. I think that since I'm a guy, she can't see me as an equal so she loves me to a point, if that makes sense. One time, Shampoo got this stupid brooch that made the wearer reverse their love. Suddenly she hated me, as much as she loved me but reversed, she would just ignore me unless we came face to face, then she'd pound me into the pavement. I was kinda worried for a bit, then Mom pointed out that this meant her claim must be over and we began ignoring her. Next day she's all over me again, and she was trying to put the brooch on me. I was really mucked up by it, then she brought out a cat she'd caught to try... well..."

Akane remembered what Aunty had said about Ranma's fear of cats. "The Nekoken?"

His hands immediately stopped, "You know about that?"

"Aunty told me. I hope you're not upset."

Ranma was silent for a few moments "Nah, just means ya might not freak out when it happens next."

Akane could hear the self-disgust in his voice, much like when he spoke of his curse. She tried to get back into the story to make it go away, "So she tried to put you in the Nekoken?"

"I'll only go to those I care for while in it, so she was trying to use the brooch to control me. The cat freaked me out though and I was off, running down the street as fast as I could. Of course Sakura decided to come see me and as soon as I saw her I was all over her like a pervert, I just knocked her down in the street. Cologne showed up and took back the jewel back before I… did anything."

Akane slumped her head in defeat that her change of subject had taken him straight back to a place that disgusted him. "Why did Shampoo want you in the Nekoken?"

"I talked with Mom about it later and the fact Cologne was nearby. Because I can't be controlled in the Nekoken, they can't just take me off to their village. Cologne's been trying to be friends with Mom ever since she found out about the cat fist, because they need her to calm me if they want to take me back to China. Shampoo was planning on showing how she could control me through the brooch to convince the Cologne to leave Mom behind and drag me off."

Akane felt his hands leave her thighs and was waiting for the towel to be lifted when his hands were on her lower back. She let out a sigh, but out of relief or disappointment she couldn't say for certain.

"Back to Mousse, he tried to defeat me a lot but in the last few months he finally accepted I didn't want Shampoo and has given up trying to kill me. He just wants Shampoo. She's pretty mean to him normally but when she was wearing the reversal brooch she was really mean. Once we figured out the brooch reversed the feelings of the wearer, he was so happy."

"You sure have some odd friends, Ranma."

"Welcome to the weird life of Ranma Saotome."

Akane smiled gently feeling his hands over her back. She noticed his hands working around the sports bra's thick straps. Nodoka's words came back to her. Steeling her will she asked, "Would it be easier without the bra?"

Ranma didn't notice the hesitation in her voice as he tried maintaining his focus. He tried to answer as casually as possible "A bit...but you can leave it on if you want."

"No Ranma, I trust you."

Ranma turned around as she began to sit up. Trying to mask his own nervousness, he busied himself putting more cream into his hands when he spotted some incense sticks he put on the top shelf of the book case beside his desk. "Hey, I've got some incense sticks that may help you relax."

He heard Akane's muffled acknowledgment as he reached for the sticks, trying not to think about her. As he brought the sticks down a number of small squares fluttered down. His reflexes took over and his free hand shot out grabbing them from the air.

Mumbling a curse on his father's panda butt, he moved to replace the condoms back on the top shelf. It was then, that he heard the odd skipping rhythm of footsteps in the hall.

Shampoo burst in through the door with a low and seductive "Nihao Airen!", wiggling her lingerie-clad figure. She stopped wiggling when she was faced with a beautiful girl in panties throwing her bra over the back of a chair and a husband in nightclothes holding condoms.

With an inarticulate yell she dropped the ramen take out box and drew her bonbori to face Akane. "HUSBAND STEALER!" Her voice thundered through the room as the two turned to face her.

Ranma was stock still facing the Amazon.

Akane was bewildered by the sudden appearance of the purple haired aggressor. She turned to ask Ranma what was going on and saw he had condoms in his hand. She saw red, 'I trusted him!'

"PERVERT!"

_-wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack wack-_

Ranma was trying to regain his senses as both sides of his face were stinging really bad. His eyes refocused finally on Akane's chest. Akane stood furious in front of him, her hands opening and clenching to alleviate her stinging palms. She traced his line of sight.

-Wham-

Shampoo wanted to kill the dark haired girl but she was now beating Ranma. It was too confusing.

Tying shut a robe, and with her hair hanging down, Nodoka Saotome rushed into her son's room, taking in the scene. Shampoo in a sheer, midnight blue teddy with bonbori, standing beside a Cat Café take away box, which was leaking onto the floor. Akane had a furious look on her face was putting her robe back on, while her son was laying into the shattered doors of his closet. "What is going on here?"

"Husband stealer beat up Airen!" "Ranma is a pervert!"

Nodoka could feel the headache beginning. "Stop! Akane, why is Ranma a pervert?"

Akane stalked over to the desk and picked up a condom. "He was only doing the massage to have sex with me. He got me to take off the bra and then got these out."

Shampoo was about to say something but was cut off by Nodoka's hand in front of her face. Akane saw the hardened look cross Nodoka's face. Her voice was calm an even as she held out the other hand to Akane for the condom. "Tell me exactly what happened?"

"He got me to take off the bra and while I did he claimed he was getting some incense sticks but was really getting condoms. Then Shampoo charged in."

Nodoka looked at the condom and down at the incense sticks in Ranma's unconscious grip. "Okay, Akane, please calm down. Shampoo why are you here?"

"Shampoo here with snack for husband. Good thing, else husband stealer take what not hers!"

"Akane and my son were not going to have sex, Shampoo. Ranma was giving Akane a massage at my request."

Shampoo was still unhappy with the answer, but had learned long ago being disrespectful to Ranma's Mother would never help her cause.

"Why didn't you ask me before entering my house, Shampoo?"

Shampoo put on a too too cute look as she tried her prepared excuse, "Shampoo saw light off, no want to wake."

"Shampoo, go home, I will have words with Cologne tomorrow regarding your behavior."

Shampoo paled slightly but stuck to her guns. "No, Shampoo must protect husband from thief."

"I am not a husband thief!"

"Akane, I said calm down. Shampoo go home, any more late visits without my permission and I will consider your claim on my son invalid."

"Great Grandmother no accept."

"Even after Saffron?"

Akane had been watching the argument until these last words spoken by Nodoka in a hushed tone. Shampoo slumped slightly before nodding and glaring at Akane. "Husband thief touch husband again, give Kiss of Death!" That said, she whirled and left the room.

Nodoka watched the Amazon leave, trying to find her calm, her heartbeat rushing in her ears. She finally tuned to the short dark haired girl standing beside the bed. "Did my son ask you to remove your bra?"

Akane considered the dark eyes before her. "He said I didn't have to but it would be easier without."

Nodoka lightly smiled as the last piece fell into place. "Could you please reach up to the top shelf and grab some of those incense sticks."

Akane looked a bit perplexed before reaching up on her toes to reach the high shelf and grab some sticks. Coming down she noted another condom poking out over the lip of the shelf.

Nodoka reached up and grabbed it, holding it up as evidence with a sigh. "When Ranma and his father returned from their training trip there was an issue of Ranma's manliness with his curse. In an effort to make Ranma seem manlier, Genma hid some condoms around his room in the belief that I would find them, therefore seeing Ranma as more manly. Unfortunately my husband is an idiot, and he was very liberal in stashing the condoms here. As you can see these are still here over a year later. I'm sure that if Shampoo had not burst in Ranma would have simply tossed them in the bin."

Akane sheepishly nodded as she accepted the explanation. She looked down at the unconscious heap in the closet. "What about him?"

Nodoka smiled. Taking the towel from the bed, she kneeled and righted the fallen take-out box. Dabbing the wet tatami mat with the towel she held it up for Akane. "Wave this under his nose."

Akane giggled and did as instructed, wincing slightly at the redness of Ranma's face and the swelling already starting.

Nodoka opened the box and was surprised the noodles were all still in the bowl. With quick wipes of a second towel she dried the base and placed it on the desk before beginning to mop up the juices.

The scent of ramen brought Ranma back to the living. He began to smile before seeing Akane was near him and panicked away from her. "I ... I can explain."

"Aunty already did. Sorry for hitting you." She stood and stepped away from him as he picked himself up. Without looking back she spoke quickly. "I better get to bed, thanks for the massage."

"Ah sure." Ranma's face swung from her retreating form to his mother and back as she left.

Standing Nodoka lifted the take out box. "Akane just panicked. She saw her fears of others she knows in you. She needs this time away from them to become comfortable again." She smiled as she left the room, "Oh, and I'd expect Shampoo to try to attack Akane during the week, you may want to try and keep her calm when you see her. Good night, my son."

"G'night Mom." He idly considered Shampoo and his situation in general while digging into the bowl of noodles, noting how the taste failed to clear the taste of the massage cream he'd swallowed.

(To be continued)

Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf and Sakurabana for proof reading and advising.

Thank you for reading,

Trent O'Donoghue


	4. Chapter 4

Meeting Later 4

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 03/05/10

* * *

The large recreation hall was filled with people watching the dozen or so fights going through the preliminaries on open mats for evaluation by the judges. All were vying for the final slots in each of the thirty-two male and female line-ups for the televised tournament. Ranma and Akane, dressed in casual clothes, walked around and between the fights. It didn't take very long to work out the contenders from the punching bags. Ranma was on a first name basis with many of them anyway.

"Lot better quality opponents this year. Hell, last year they only had twenty six guys and thirteen girls, this year they're paying to get a shot at the preliminaries." Ranma noted over the din.

"I guess they think it's a real event this year. What's the prize money?"

"Don't know, have to check it later. Hey, there's Konatsu!"

Weaving through Akane saw a very attractive woman in a kimono facing off against young man with short hair in an embossed Dojo Gi. He had a tonfa (very similar to a police stick) held in his right hand, the bar extending back down his forearm.

"I thought this wasn't mixed sex fighting?"

"It isn't, she's a he. Don't worry, he's actually a pretty cool guy, he was just raised as a woman."

Akane glanced at Ranma, his tone had changed mid sentence as if he felt bad about something. She thought briefly about how Aunty handled things like this, and gently probed, "And?"

Ranma took his eyes off the preparations to glance at Akane. Before looking back to the starting fight. "He's entirely devoted to Ucchan. While she's still after me, we can't really be friends."

Akane nodded returning her gaze to the fight, she knew Ranma valued friendship highly and had few close friends.

The fight lasted less than the time needed for the judges to state the rules. The young man attacked with a kick and a quick follow up jab with the tonfa. Without adjusting her... his posture, Konatsu smacked the kick to the side with a closed fan before opening the fan in front of the jab. The fist and tonfa stock tore through the paper of the fan but was locked by the snapping shut of the fans arms around his wrist. With strength belying her...his build Konatsu tossed him off the mat.

"Point two. Kenzan, winner."

Ranma stepped over to the cross dresser as he bowed to the judges and his opponent. "Hey Konatsu, you didn't have to be so hard on the poor guy."

Konatsu smiled brightly and spoke in very feminine tones, "Just perfecting some options, Ranma-san."

"Train while you can, the preliminaries are good for that since it's not lose and you're out."

"You're not competing?" He gestured to the causal dress of the pair, but he knew Ranma had done more than his share of fighting in his Chinese clothes, though Akane was in a skirt and blouse.

"Nah, Pop and me were given slots straight to the finals, but Pops' away, so we got 'em to let Akane have his slot."

"Ah yes, Akane Tendo. Pleased to meet you, I'm Konatsu Kenzan."

Akane smirked at Ranma's ashamed look after forgetting to introduce them. "Hi, pleased to meet you. You've heard of me?"

"Ukyo-sama has mentioned you... on occasion, at her restaurant."

The girl winced a little at the memory from nearly two weeks ago. "Yeah, Ukyo and I didn't meet under the best circumstances."

The waitress's gentle smile was strangely relaxing to Akane. "I believe Junko's next fight is up soon, I will have to relieve her. This way please."

Akane saw a strange expression brush over Ranma's face at the mention of Junko. Not fear or anger but something much... sadder.

As they moved through the mats they saw several more fighters that both would consider contenders in the finals before coming to an athletically built young woman quickly pouring, cooking and giving away free Okonomiyaki orders from a portable grill. The smell of the grill set off a loud growl from Akane's stomach, yet everyone looked at Ranma as the source. Fortunately for Akane, he ignored them, his mind not in the moment.

Akane saw Ranma grimace at the other food vendors, all from Shishimi franchises, giving away free food as well, but this young girl was the only one with a queue of customers. Although Ranma obviously didn't like seeing these other food vendors, he also seemed a little reluctant to look at the girl.

Dressed in a dark kimono, with the Ucchan's Okonomiyaki logo on the back, the girl kept at least two bases on the hot plate constantly, pouring the next as she flipped a completed one onto a waiting paper plate before passing it to whoever was waiting. Her dark hair was held up in an intricate flowing form on her head while her blue eyes were intently watching her cooking, one hand flipping the latest batter while the other wrote in sauce over the topping, 'UCCHANS on Shizawa Street'.

Konatsu crouched behind her and opened a small cooler, washing his hands in the water within. Finished he wiped his hands and closed the box. He maneuvered gently behind Junko, careful not to disturb her and whispered to her before beginning a steady clapping. The young woman didn't seem to react until suddenly tapping matching beats on the grill. On the third beat she tossed her spatula in the air and flipped up from her kneeling position, backwards over Konatsu. Konatsu came down from his crouch to take her place kneeling and caught the falling spatula, taking over her cooking without missing a beat. There was some light clapping from those watching.

"Hey Junko, How ya doing? You seen Ucchan?"

"Hi Ranchan!" she cried as she gave him a quick hug, "Now what did you just call me? Hmmm!"

Ranma's wince made Akane giggle, "Hey 'Junchan'."

Junko's smile increased, "That's better. I'm fine, Ukyo had to dash back to the store but should be here any second. Who's this? Oh I know, it's Akari from your martial arts school? Isn't it? I'm right aren't I?"

Akane blinked before catching up to the high paced girl's conversation. "Hi, Akane Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything Goes."

"Junko Kosin... formally of the Kosin Martial Arts School." Junko's face and posture fell just after stating her name. Ranma's hand immediately shot out to rub her shoulder and Konatsu slowed down his cooking paying careful attention to the girl.

"Hey, Junko your fights up soon, let's go show 'em what ya got." Ranma's obviously awkward statement seemed to cheer her right up and, after a quick wiping of her eyes, she led them over to one corner of the hall, where one of the full fight rings from the actual tournament had been set up.

After speaking to the judges, she was about to flip into the ring when Ranma stepped up to her and whispered something in her ear. After a quick smile and a 'high five', she flipped up into the ring. Shucking off her kimono she revealed a tight tank top knotted high on her midriff and lycra bike shorts, both in a dark blue.

The sudden crowd of males around the ring attested to its... public appeal.

As Ranma stepped back to stand with her, Akane could see the odd look in his eyes as he watched the girl. Glancing around to make sure no one would hear, he leaned down to her. "Don't worry, that wasn't your fault with Junko. Nearly eight months ago, her father was killed in a challenge fight, by a Dojo Destroyer using a technique my father made. I managed to beat him. He's in jail now, and I got him to swear to never use the technique again, but because Junko wasn't ready and there were no other masters', her family school had to be closed. Her Mom blames my family for the death because Pop made the technique, so we can't really be friends. She's been working for Ucchan and things have been much better between us since then. She occasionally challenges me to test moves she's been redeveloping from some family scrolls."

Akane nodded taking in this and added it to memories of Ranma's behavior. She could now easily pick the strong guilt he was giving off from the moment he saw Junko. She found Aunty was right in Ranma needing a close friend. The pig tailed boy had a lot pent up inside and she really didn't mind if he would occasionally share a little with her. The trust they were developing was really nice... but in a way she couldn't pin down it was very different to the trust she had had with her old school friends. The only real problem she had was every time he brought out another one she felt a little guiltier over leaving her family over a problem that was seaming more and more trivial compared to his. She could sympathize with him from the insanity in her own life, from the Kuno family and others, but his life was worse.

Ranma's posture changed and the tone in his voice changed to that he used when he was explaining a move to her when they were training together. "This is one of the rings they use in the actual tournament. Two things to watch for, the tension on the ropes and the mat level."

Immediately in a more professional mind-set, Akane swept her eyes over the orange red mating taking in the layout. The ring was six sided with posts at the six corners. The floor itself was slightly inclined from a flat circle in the center towards the outside edge. The whole thing was a good thirty-five feet across with the center depression about ten feet. The posts were the same as those found in a boxing or similar ring each holding three ropes at even height to the next post all the way around the ring.

"The ring is very tough, last year I couldn't even break the posts. The uneven floor isn't good for fighting with grounded styles, since the angle of the flooring can weaken ya stances, but it's great for aerial and fast acrobatic styles like Junko's and Sakura's. The trick of it is the center floor height is adjustable but the ring is made as an eye trick so ya can't pick when it's changed, also pipes rise to touch the canvas from underneath so the outer mat may spring you back or be very solid."

"And Sakura's people control the height, so they change it at her direction."

"Bingo. First rule is to avoid the edge of center, lots of ankles were twisted last year after a height change. And the ropes have a control that adjusts their tension. So when a moment ago it was tight and strong, next time it'll have a lot of give."

The two of them discussed points of the ring while the second competitor stepped in with Junko. Announced as Desaku Misu of the Asiko Dojo, a tall, heavily built woman, with grossly large thick lips, in her early twenties straddled the ropes as she crossed into the ring. She wore the same type of embossed gi as worn by the man in Konatsu's fight. As she strode over she winked and blew a kiss with her oversized lips towards Ranma before turning to face Junko. Her turning away caused her to miss Ranma's face turn white, and his eyes popping wide with fear.

Junko was trying to maintain her loose casual stance, but the giggling at Ranma was ruining the image.

"Another fiancée?"

"Nope, not mine Akane, I don't even know her."

"By your stories, that doesn't seem to matter."

"I hope not Akane, I hope not."

The match began with Junko acrobatically dancing and flipping around Desaku launching lighting fast kicks and sweeps. Those that connected didn't do much, but Akane couldn't tell if it was lack of power or the resilience of the opponent. Desaku seemed to lumber after her faster opponent reaching out with meaty hands to snag her but Junko kept well back.

Without taking his eyes from the fight Ranma lent down to Akane's head height and spoke in a low voice. "Junko doesn't have much in close and anyone with trained upper body strength can pin her without to much trouble. But if she's been practicing her throws she'll do good."

"She looks like she's already incorporated more than a few Saotome moves into her family style."

"Not as many as you'd think, a lot of her moves are just similar to it. Her style is more flips and spins, trips and leg throws, but closer to the ground rather than the Saotome School leaps."

Just as they finished Junko jumped forward, legs first, and locked her feet onto Desaku's waist. From standing on her enemy's hips she let gravity pull her down without releasing her grip. Rolling her back on the mat she lifted her larger opponent with her legs and executed a full hip twist to spin and launch Desaku up and over the ropes.

Ranma calmly reached out and caught the larger girl as she flew up and over him. Using the girl's own momentum, he spun and placed her feet first on the edge of the ring. The last of the momentum pushed her back up to standing.

Desaku's mind just caught up to realize she'd been thrown out of the ring and missed an opportunity to steal a kiss from the most desirable hunk in Juban. 'Damn!'

"Point Kosin." A sidelined man in a black and white referee shirt called.

Desaku climbed back into the ring and looked towards the gray haired man in an Asiko Gi. Master Asiko nodded and gripped his wrist. Desaku nodded back and assumed a ready stance against Junko who had returned to the relaxed stance Ranma often used.

This fight took a lot longer with Desaku keeping her attacks close in and more defensive. Ranma and Akane both quickly picked up on her attempts to get a grip on Junko's body during her attacks. After a few minutes Desaku was obviously getting upset at her lack of success and tried a fist to Junko's face. Unfortunately she over reached the lunge for Junko, and knew she was out. Junko griped the arm and rolled backwards bringing her feet up to launch Desaku up over the edge. Six high school boys admiring Junko's... technique were suddenly the landing mat for the larger woman. With a loud kissing sound the smallest of the boys brought his face out of her lips.

One of the judges came into the ring with a scrolled up paper. "Miss Kosin, you're in the finals. Go see main admin."

"Oh thank you! Yes!" With a quick bow to him she turned and gave a quick 'V' with her fingers to Ranma and Akane, who smilingly returned the gesture, before grabbing her Kimono off a post and dashing for the Admin desks at the front of the hall.

As they walked back towards the cooking areas, Ranma and Akane began talking again. "Some of the judges are actually producers from the TV network, so looks add to eligibility for the finals."

Akane felt her anger rising. "Perverts, looks don't matter to skill."

"No argument there but there's some clause in the entry that they can adjust outfits. What they tried to get my girl form into last year was skimpy to say the least."

"Did you wear it?"

"Nah, two broken noses later they agreed with something Mom made."

Akane's giggle was interrupted by two young men in suits, one an ill fitting gray business suit and the other an ugly purple leisure suit, suddenly appearing before them. The purple suited one held a large video camera over one shoulder and directed it to put the other man, who held a microphone, and Ranma in shot, keeping Akane out of shot to the left. The camera had 'Property of Bokuto High' in black marker on masking tape on the side.

"And here we have last year's winner, Mr Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, checking out the competition. Mr Saotome, with all the rumors of your improvement over the last year, do you see yourself in comfortable standing to win this years competition?"

Akane watched, as Ranma seemed to grow in stature and exude an almost palpable confidence with the camera on him. "There ain't no one here with half a chance of beating me."

"That's a bold statement Mr Saotome, are you sure there's no doubt of your victory?"

"I don't lose."

Akane watched as this posturing for the camera went back and forth between the egotist and the wannabe journalist.

"What of the talk of this second Anything Goes Martial Artist taking your fathers place in the tournament? Rumors are this Mr Tendo has at least one victory over you. He's not going to put a cramp on your victory declaration?"

Akane decided she deserved a little thunder, and spoke over Ranma. "Since Ranma and I won't be competing in the same divisions, that should not be a problem. And to set the record straight, although Ranma has an edge in experience and training, I have beaten him once a day, every day, for the last two weeks."

The sudden silence of the spectators around them spread till the hall was silent. Akane suddenly decided she could live without her own ego boasting.

"Mr Saotome, is Miss Tendo telling the truth? Has she defeated you every day for the last two weeks?"

Ranma was stuck. He wanted to refute that it doesn't count since it is just breakfast fighting, but the fact that it was something that was so minor made it even more important people didn't know about it. The fact was, that between himself and his father, the Saotome name had become legendary for eating in Juban.

Hanging his head in shame he acknowledged his defeats. "Yeah, it's true." A lone cricket croaked from the halls ceiling. His head came up quickly "But it's only sparring and we train a lot! It ain't like there's only one fight a day. I beat her heaps... defeat, defeat her heaps!"

"RAANNNMMAA! You cheat on Ukyo and then beat up on this other girl! I'll send you to Hell!"

Akane turned to see a boy in a dirty yellow shirt with his hair held by a dirty bandanna wading through the crowd, dragging several boys who seemed to be trying to hold him back. She recognized the boys as Toko and his friends.

"Ryoga you pervert, you dare try to defend my honor after what you did. Pork Okonomiyaki coming right up!"

Akane and the crowd were getting whiplash as their heads jumped from Ranma, to the now pale faced Ryoga being dragged back by the group of boys, to Ukyo stomping through with her great big spatula ready to flatten the bandanna wearing boy.

A shrill whistle blasted through the hall. Standing on the admin table was a short balding older man in a ref's uniform. "All right, any fighting in here not part of the competition, you're out of the whole damn thing. That includes you Saotome. Now let's keep this going."

The crowd went back to what it was doing before and the reporters moved on to find out the reactions of the other women competitors to this new contender. Akane watched as Ranma wiped his face with his hands. "Sorry."

He looked over at her with a grin. "Don't be, I'll reclaim breakfast soon enough. But you can expect some dirty tricks to start soon, that big mouth of yours has got ya in trouble this time."

Akane went red-faced, as she knew he was right. "Big mouth? It's hardly as bigger deal as 'I am Ranma Saotome, I am invincible' is it?"

His grin increased. "Yeah, but there's a difference. I am invincible."

The sudden clearing of individuals around the pair revealed an angry Ukyo with spatula ready. Akane began to wonder if the nice friendly Ukyo that Ranma had once spoken of was actually someone else. "Tell me exactly how many times these victories included any kissing!"

"None, honest Ucchan, it ain't what you think."

"Ukyo, I have only ever kissed Ranma once, on the cheek and you saw it."

Ukyo ignored Ranma's prattle and glared at the shorter girl. She decided the formality in the voice was enough to prove it and let it slide... for now. Placing her spatula back on her back she eyed the pair. "So you two went straight in to the tournament? Congratulations."

Akane forced hostility out of her voice "Thanks. Your friend Junko got in, too."

Ukyo appraised her. "I know, so did I. Is it true you beat him every day?"

Ranma stepped up and whispered in hopes of saving his reputation in Ukyo's eyes. "It's only sparring really, not straight up fighting."

Ignoring him, Ukyo watched Akane for a minute before stepping into her face. "Akane Tendo, I want to win this tournament. It doesn't matter how good you are. I want to win more. Ranma is my fiancé!" Her face changed as she turned and gave Ranma a forced smile before leaving.

Ranma watched in silence, normally Ukyo was nice and friendly around him, even in the face of the other fiancés, but she obviously didn't like Akane.

Akane wasn't intimidated by Ukyo. If anything she felt a bit more pity for Ranma's plight when Ukyo was the best choice of the three fiancées. Being dragged off to China seemed slightly less insane.

"Ah sorry, Ukyo's under a lot of pressure with her..."

"It's okay Ranma, It's not your fault she's like that."

"Yeah, but it's me that the anger is about. Although I didn't think she was in trouble with the business enough to need the prize money, why she wants t..." Ranma paled slightly before rushing into the crowd. Akane had to rush to keep up as Ranma began shoving through towards the administrator's table. "Hey, Ref Hebner, ya know what first prize is?"

The short man looked up in his black and white stripped shirt, appraising the young man before him, before letting loose a light chuckle and handing a pamphlet to him.

The shorter Akane had to stretch to read over his shoulder and hadn't gotten any details before his shoulders slumped and the pamphlet fell from his hands. Snatching it from the air, she read it over. First prize is one million yen and three days at an exclusive ski lodge and hot spring. Same prize for both winners, male and female. Very nice for what she had thought was a small time tournament.

"What's up Ranma? It's odd to have equal prizes for both sexes but if Sakura put this together that isn't surprising, and besides the cost of a trip to an exclusive ski resort for three days could be worth more than the cash prize."

"The trip is for one person."

Akane suddenly realized why more than a few girls were making eyes at Ranma, the girl in Junko's fight had blown him a kiss, and Ukyo's declaration. After all the perverts she'd known in Furinkan, here was a guy who had the girls lining up to spend a sordid weekend with him and he wasn't even thinking of how good staying in the resort could be. She tried to hold it back, but started giggling anyway. "I guess being invincible isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Ranma shot her a dirty "Oh laugh it up."

* * *

Desaku Misu stepped out of the rec hall mopping some left over moisture from her hair with her towel. She smiled at a joke one of her teammates made as the group made their way to the car park to return home. She turned quickly at the questioning voice.

"Miss Misu?"

Desaku looked down at the small fifteen year old boy she had kissed the face of earlier when she had lost to Junko Kosin, looking up hopefully offering up a bouquet of yellow flowers and stammering out a request to see her later. She reached up to rub her temples trying to figure out how to let him down easy and ignore the murmurs and giggles of her friends looking over at the two of them.

* * *

Akane was really beginning to hate that Bokuto, and Juban in general, had a lot more traffic than Nerima, and these drivers were far less considerate than she remembered at home. She didn't even have to cross one major road in the two-kilometer trek from her family Dojo to Furinkan High, but here there were two main roads and a train line between Auntie's and Bokuto High. Coming home from the water tank after training was worse with a water canal and more roads.

Watching another train at the crossing, she leaned on a railing. There was no pedestrian bridge at this small crossing and the two waited beside the short line of cars and a motorbike for the boom to be raised. Normally Ranma would lead them up onto a series of fences and up onto a metal bracing crossing above the track. Being Sunday though, the training session had been much longer then those after school ones, and Ranma was happy to stroll back rather than push it. Finding the last few minutes of silence depressing, Akane decided to ask about the boy with Toko and his friends who had threatened him at the tournament preliminaries.

Ranma looked over with a frown. "Ryoga Hibiki. He and I went to the same junior high. I remember us being friends but when he found out I was leaving for China, he challenged me over something I did ta him. Problem is, he's got no sense of direction and after three days of waiting at an abandoned lot for the fight, Pop dragged me off and we went to China. He decided I had dishonored him again by not waiting and came after us. He finally caught back up with us... at Jusenkyo."

"The same place you were cursed? Does he have a curse?"

The trains passed and the booms rose letting them and the cars begin to cross but still they walked slowly. Akane could see his guilt face, the similar to that he had for Junko earlier today. "Before we found out we could change back from our cursed forms, I was so mad, I must a chased Pop around that valley for hours. I never saw Ryoga, I guess I was too mad. He claims he was knocked off a cliff by a red haired girl chasing a Panda. He fell into the spring of drowned pig, so now he turns into a little black piglet."

Akane absorbed this with a bit of shock. She already thought the Jusenkyo Curses were bad but the thought of turning into something so small and helpless chilled her.

"He caught back up with me here at school, then later at home. It was a rainy night, and after he got wet and changed, he hid inside. Mom had just tossed Pop out of the house over hearing about another stupid thing he'd done and she found him hiding in her room. Deciding she wanted a pet, she kept him, and took him to bed with her. Next morning she decided he was dirty and cleaned him, in hot water. Afterwards, when we figured out the full story, Mom calmed down enough to ask him to leave and never return. He would show up every so often afterwards at school to challenge me, but never at home."

She absorbed this quietly trying to figure it all out. "So how does Ukyo fit in?"

His face took on an odd look, like it couldn't decide how to feel on a subject. "When Ucchan arrived here she was out to kill me for dishonoring and leaving her ten years ago. The very next day, Ryoga shows up screaming about my actions against her. A couple days later Ucchan worked out what Pop had done and decided the engagement was back on, then Ryoga shows up the next day trying to beat me up for taking her from him. Thing is, she claims to never have met him. It went on for weeks until this cheating gambler took our house and we stayed with Ucchan. While there, we found a little black piglet called 'Spats' in her bedroom, seems he'd been with her for months."

Ranma chuckled at the look on Akane's face. "That's the same face Mom had when we saw him in Ukyo's bed, then she went mental, trying to dice him with the family sword. Ucchan tried to protect him and they had a big fight that Mom hasn't really forgiven Ucchan for. Then I poured hot water on 'Spats'. I've never seen Ucchan so angry. He was after me, Mom and Ucchan were hitting him, Pop was eating Ucchan's food, and it was chaos."

"I'd be upset if I found out a pet I loved, told all my secrets and even slept with turned out to be a pervert." Akane just couldn't believe anybody was that perverted.

Ranma just shrugged, "He grew up all alone, his parents have just as bad sense of direction as him, and then I go and get him cursed. He found someone to love and who loved him, even if it was only as a pet. I don't think he did it to be a pervert. He still claims he loves her."

Frowning, Akane absorbed his words before answering, "Just because you feel guilty over cursing him doesn't mean he should be let off the hook, he had no right to do that."

He just nodded in answer but Akane could see he had already forgiven Ryoga. Giving up, she continued her original thoughts. "Does he normally hang out with Toko and those jerks from school."

"Nah, I guess they're out to make me lose the tournament, they're probably keeping him at one of their houses till then. Heh, he's probably the only one with a chance of beating me."

"What, he's only just shy of invincible?"

Ranma's grin matched Akane as the last of the train moved past and the boom gates began to rise.

* * *

Kenji Morisato was most pleased with this plan. Opportunity had knocked and he had sold it to Mistress Shishimi well. This was his ticket to a raise and possibly a real position outside the 'Delivery Boys'.

Kenji was heavily built for his five foot two frame and proudly wore his dark 'Shishimi' logo-ed suit. He was one of the current six members of Mistress Shishimi's 'Delivery Boys'. Sakura Shishimi had brought them together when she had fallen for Ranma Saotome and found the way blocked by competition. In a move the Yakuza would be proud of, she'd hired several money hungry martial artists to put a damper on the competition, primarily the Chinese staff of the Cat Cafe and the 'red headed slut'.

The Chinese were found to be incredibly tough, managing to break and drive off repeated attacks. Only one potentially successful mission was noted against the purple haired waitress, but after she had been subdued using her own curse against her, she was freed by the appearance of the old granny owner of the shop. The members of that team still had no form of bladder control and no Doctor could explain it.

The red head was eventually revealed as the Mistress Shishimi's love under the effect of a magic curse, but not before he had hospitalized several members.

Currently, Kenji was rumored to be the twenty-fourth actual member of the 'Delivery Boys', although Miss Shishimi had never kept on more than six at a time.

To his mind though, Kenji had something all the other 'Delivery Boys' didn't. Ambition. This was a stepping-stone to greater things.

He had anticipated Mistress Shishimi would want to know about this Akane Tendo and brought her a fool proof plan before she could make a foolhardy plan of her own for the team. Renting a back room of a neighbor, which faced towards the rear of the Saotome home, he set up the expensive listening gun on its tripod and aimed it towards the house.

This was just the first step, next would come the thermal camera but that needed a lot more money which Mistress would only give out if she got results.

Setting the headphones on his head, he checked that the feed was being sent directly to the Mistress who was waiting by in her limo in anticipation of this success.

* * *

Sakura sat alone in the back of the limo waiting for Kenji to signal his success. She straightened the tight white dress she wore again, wishing she could wring Tendo's little neck.

'I can't believe that old bitch Nodoka did this to me! ME! Can't she see I'm obviously the best woman for her son and let me have him? Obviously she had brought in this little tart to win him over, but the stars had already foretold my union with Ranma. The sooner these fools realize it the better!'

The memory of overhearing about Nodoka's little whore was now the favorite to win the tournament flashed again through her mind and she angrily open the little heating cabinet in the limo's bar and began to drink direct from the sake bottle. 'The little whore is trying to steal MY fiancé and MY tournament!'

She had to know more about this little tart. She had people already looking into her past, but this idea of Kenji's would be best. Let the little bitch tell her own weaknesses in an unguarded moment.

A red light began to glow on the transceiver unit sitting on the seat opposite her, "Finally!"

Turning the sound up, she quickly made out the voices of her love and the whore.

"Gently Akane, you don't want to bruise it."

"Like this?"

"Yeah that's it, just relax and loosen up. We can take our time."

"You like this don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. I use to do it heaps while training but since I came home it's only really been at the Ucchan or Cat Café, and it's hard to really enjoy it like this when the girls are trying to make me marry 'em."

"I can imagine."

"Here shift around a little... that's better."

"For you maybe, shift back."

"Okay, I suppose the guest always comes first."

"Oh ha..."

Sakura had heard enough as she kicked the limo door open and got out. She stormed straight into the Saotome house.

* * *

"Oh ha ha, I'm enough of a fixture here I may as well call you big brother."

"Okay little sister."

With much eloquence, Akane replied with a 'red eye', lowering her lower eyelid with a finger in a childish rebuttal. It quickly degenerated into stuck out tongues and other facial manipulations as the two now giggling teenagers continued to peel vegetables, huddled in aprons, over the kitchen sink.

Both swung quickly at the sound of some howling beast storming into the house and up stairs.

By the time Ranma and Akane reached the top of the stairs they could see the battered in doors of the guest and Ranma's bedrooms.

Stepping out of Ranma's doorway, Sakura laid eyes on her prey. "You!"

Akane found herself faced with the last angry glare of the Ranma Saotome fiancée set, at least till her view of the golden haired woman was blocked by Ranma's shoulder as he stepped between the two women.

"Hey Sakura, something wrong?"

Sakura locked her gray eyes onto Ranma's for a single second before focusing on the girl behind him again and drawing chopsticks in each hand. "Out of the way Ranma dear. Your mother and this little tart think they can stand in the way of fate and take what's mine. I'll teach them they can't break us up!"

Akane tried to step around Ranma to accept the challenge. "Any time you're ready, Sakura. I can..."

"No Akane, no fighting in the house."

It wasn't Ranma's words that stopped Akane, it was his arm baring her path and holding her back. With his eyes still watching the now open mouthed Sakura, he didn't even realize he had his palm over her breast. Akane stared down at the hand on her chest dumbly, while Sakura had a more direct answer.

"You whore!"

"STOP! What is going on here?" Nodoka's voice thundered in the hallway of the Saotome residence. Nodoka had been out bringing in the laundry and had heard the destruction of the front door and the noise of someone rampaging through her home. Climbing the stairs, she hadn't expected to see her manly son feeling up Akane in front of Sakura. Though it did explain Sakura's anger.

Ranma looked back at his mother before flicking straight back to Akane, seeing a strange hand on her chest. He had only made the connection that it was his hand when he went backwards into the wall. Akane shoved Ranma away bodily and turned to Ranma's mother. "Aunty Saotome, it isn't what it looks like. Ranma was just trying to stop us from fighting in the house."

Any words of defense from Sakura were forgotten when her opponent opened her back to her. Seizing the opportunity she darted in with her chopsticks, aiming for pressure points that had become her favorites in the last few months.

Shaking his head to clear it after having it bounced on the wall, Ranma was just getting his bearings when he saw Sakura charging towards Akane's open back. With a shout, he kicked up at her arms, catching her nearer right arm sending it off sharply from its target.

Akane spun quickly feeling the danger before Ranma's shout but was too slow as she felt the sharp prod in her back. Pain like fire burned over her left shoulder and arm. Calming her panic and focusing out the pain she turned on Sakura ready for her next attack even as Sakura tried to move in past Ranma's kicks from the floor between them. A feint to her right was followed by a jab with the chopsticks to her left shoulder. Stepping nearer, Akane blocked with her arm only to find it failed to react properly.

Lunging up, Ranma grabbed Sakura's attacking arm, dragging her back down with him, but was caught off guard as Akane's arm lashed out erratically and caught him in the eye.

Sakura tried to break Ranma's grip on her arm but failed and fell in a tangle with his legs. Akane saw the opening and snapped of a powerful punch from her good arm into Sakura's face as she fell before her.

The blonde girl instantly lost consciousness from the blow as her head snapped back heavily with the blow, slamming into Ranma's crotch. Ranma's breath vented sharply from the pain.

Stepping back, Akane grabbed her left arm with her right, ignoring Ranma's pained groan. Hoping the pressure would lessen the pain, she tried to pull it in, only for it to shoot out again, this time putting a nice round hole in the wall. Nodoka moved in to help but Ranma was already tenderly stumbling to his feet and moving to help.

"Stop Mom, stay back. I know this one. Akane don't move ya arm, just let it dangle." He instructed in a pained voice. Akane's arm spasmed once more before it hung limply.

"What'd she do to me, it hurts like hell." Akane complained as Ranma gingerly stepped behind her.

"Pressure point. She's used it before."

The dark haired girl's breath froze as she felt her apron springs undo and her sweater and shirt rise, followed by the warmth of Ranma's rough hand sliding up her skin. His other hand gently took her wrist as she felt his hand slide under her bra strap. When he reached up near where Sakura had poked her, he pressed against her with his fingers, the pain leaving her arm in a slow wave.

Akane was letting out her breath with the pain when she felt Ranma's grip on her wrist grow, just before her arm spasmed again. Ranma was prepared for this one as her hand jerked in his grip, or at least thought he was when it sprung back on him, his elbow acting like a lever angling it back into his crotch.

Ranma groaned again and leant against Akane's back.

"Oh, sorry Ranma." Akane's voice was full of concern but she quickly concluded she should let him deal with this injury and just let him lean on her.

"Give me a sec," was his pained reply as he tried to overcome the pain he was feeling from the two blows.

It was then that the pair heard the muffled sound of a giggle from the end of the hall and looked up to see Nodoka giggling into her hand at their antics. The moment they looked up, Nodoka had the presence of mind to calm herself. "My son, you are the only one I know who could get in these situations."

* * *

Akane was still rubbing some soreness from her arm as she, Ranma and Nodoka finished up dinner. Sakura had been tied up and Nodoka had asked them to go do there home work while she spoke with Ranma's fiancée. Now she had left, both were eager to know what had brought the angry woman to the house.

"Sakura has apparently been listening in on the house, and believes she has evidence of you two being improper. Could she..."

"No way! We ain't done nothing!" "We haven't! I'm not that kind of girl!"

Motioning them to quiet down, Nodoka smiled at the teenagers denials followed by sly questioning looks towards each other. "Then she can't possibly have any such evidence. Apparently Akane, you've made quite a stir, seeming to come out of nowhere to be favorite for winning the women's division in the tournament. I think Sakura was trying to make sure you didn't make it there. Do you two think we'll be having any more fights in the house?"

In that one question both Ranma and Akane got the order to keep any future fighting out of the house and both nodded their agreement. Seeing the pair got the message, Nodoka looked at Akane again. "Akane, is your shoulder still hurting, perhaps another massage would help?"

Akane didn't even try to refute the offer but it wasn't only the thoughts of her sore muscles that forced the words out but memories of Ranma's warm rough hands. "Yes please! I mean, if you want to, that is, Ranma." Akane winced at the eagerness she initially spoke with and her lame recovery, and seeing Ranma's reddening cheeks as he grunted an affirmative, she almost panicked that he knew how eager she might be. Grabbing up plates from the table she tried to rush from the table to the kitchen.

Ranma didn't really notice Akane rush off. When his mother had suggested it he had tried to focus on anything else but Akane, especially an undressed Akane. When she had asked him if it was okay he lost control, as his mind demanded he agree, his lost thoughts bringing a blush to his cheeks.

Nodoka watched with interest before leaning towards her son. "Is there a problem Ranma?"

"Ah, no, not really. I... I just... I think Shampoo put one of her weird drugs in that Ramen last week cause I just been dreaming... stuff... about Akane."

Ranma's mother smiled gently knowing Cologne had forbid Shampoo using any of those drugs after the last time, that perverted Hibiki boy still didn't know why he had started kissing her husband, and Genma was still very worried about the boy. "Well, if Akane doesn't go through with her engagement, you can always try and get her to be your mistress."

Nodoka couldn't stifle the laugh as her son's face flashed with emotions and colors at her teasing. "Oh, my manly son."

* * *

Ranma slipped into the kitchen, inhaling the scents of his Mother's cooking. He looked over the preparing breakfast, his mouth watering.

"Good Morning, Ranma."

"Morning Mom, need any help?"

"That would be nice. Could you set the table for me?"

"Sure thing." Ranma began grabbing some chopsticks, place mats, and clean bowls. Taking them through and setting them up on the table, he heard the sounds from the bathroom, and shook his head trying clear a quick fantasy that popped up. Damn he was thinking about Akane a lot.

Returning to the kitchen, he shifted his thoughts to the coming breakfast battle. He just couldn't figure out how she could do it. She wasn't as good at him at defending her food, but her food just vanished, even after one time when he broke her chopsticks. He knew she had done some speed training, but doubted she could match him in using it, except when using that infuriating martial arts dining style.

He'd even talked to Doctor Tofu about techniques to widen the mouth to match Akane's biggest advantage, but after Mom had caught him in the bathroom trying to yank it wider, he'd given up that plan. Coming back into the kitchen he grabbed the orange juice from the fridge and began pouring three glasses, but when he was putting the juice bottle back his eyes caught on a small satchel pack of wasabi with the Shishimi logo on it. For an instant he had a moral dilemma over such a petty cheap shot before he remembered the name of the game, Anything Goes.

Plucking the satchel from the fridge shelf he went over and picked up the completed plates of breakfast from where his mother was cooking and took them out to the table. With a quick move he liberally applied the hot green paste to a dumpling and replaced it paste down on the plate, careful to make sure the plate was angled have the dumpling closest to Akane.

He just finished as Akane entered from the hall and his mother from the kitchen. The two teenagers traded looks as they faced off over the table, but before the battle could begin Nodoka interrupted.

"Before you begin, I think that if Sakura and others may be watching us, I have to insist on the end of the breakfast fighting."

The two began to protest, Akane to keep her one form of victory over Ranma and Ranma cause he hadn't beaten her yet, but were silenced when Nodoka continued. "To that end, after today you may only challenge on the first of the month, the winner to be declared champion of breakfast till the next month."

The two looked at each other, protests forgotten in a desire for the title.

"Fine with me."

"I'm in."

Nodoka smiled before holding up a napkin. "Then for the title of Champion of Breakfast till the end of the month, ready... begin!"

As the napkin fell the two teenagers went at it hard chopsticks dancing faster than the eye. Nodoka took a demure bite of her own food as she watched the piles of food vanish.

Akane was impressed by the sheer speed of Ranma's hands but she had this one in hand. "Done!"

Choking on the food in his mouth, Ranma looked at the 'Champion of Breakfast' across the table. 'How the hell does she do it?' Finally swallowing his food and pride. With a nod, he paid his dues, "All hail the Champion of Breakfast."

Ranma found himself choking again, at Akane's bright smile to his sarcastic toned acknowledgment.

"You two had best get ready for school." said Nodoka as she began picking up the plates.

The two nodded and stood, Akane rushing up stairs to get the last of her stuff while Ranma went and picked up his book bag.

As Ranma bent over to grab his bag, he had an epiphany. Well, actually it was a belch from gulped down food, but it brought him the missing clue in Martial Arts Dining.

Suppressing the belch, her felt the heat rush over his tongue. 'Whew, that wasabi is still hot when down... wait a minute, Akane had the only wasabi...the only way I could have it is if she gave it to me...' The floodgates opened to the single glaringly obvious point he had missed on martial arts dining. He never attacked. He defended, he ate, but he never attacked. He was so used to stealing his pop's food and defending his, he never considered giving it to Akane. Akane was shifting her food to his plates and even force- feeding him as he sat there trying to out eat her with speed. That's why she was still hungry and he was full.

With a triumphant look up towards the ceiling at where Akane should be in the guest room and smiled. "Enjoy your title Akane, next time it's mine."

* * *

Ryoga Hibiki cursed as he dragged his pants and pack around the corner of the store, giving cursing 'bwees' the whole time. Cautiously he made sure he could look either way, fearful of someone who would look at his tiny black body as a potential main course.

Ever since that bastard Ranma had pushed him into the Spring of drowned Piglet, he had been at the mercy of fate, never knowing when it would steal his life with a splash, like the truck's tire hitting a puddle just as he walked past. His only joy came from those wonderful days he had spent with his darling Ukyo, even if it was just as her pet. Once again Ranma Saotome had stolen his happiness and now actively tried to keep him apart from getting Ukyo to hear him out with that cross-dresser Konatsu keeping him away.

The tiny piglet jumped when he saw the two approaching schoolboys, and made to run for cover when the tall brown haired one spoke. "Hibiki, is that you?"

Turning around Ryoga looked up from his four-inch height to look at the boys.

"Hey Ryoga, it's us. Don't you recognize us?"

Ryoga bwee'd questioningly at the much shorter boys words.

"No, he doesn't, do you Ryoga?" He backed up a step as the taller one knelt, a large smile crossing his face, one hand out to the little piglet. "Well Ryoga, how would you like a hot bath and to humiliate Ranma Saotome before all of Japan."

Jiro Ohata smiled grandly as the black piglet virtually jumped into his arms. The Kami were most certainly smiling on him.

* * *

Kasumi shuffled nervously as she smoothed her dress again. She took another sip of her tea but it failed to relax her. Ever since Akane had written her that she had found Doctor Tofu she had been thinking about the handsome doctor she thought she had lost forever. But when the Doctor's sister Sena had called the night before and asked if she could come over and chat... she could barely keep calm, she had been up half the night cleaning the house over again because she couldn't sleep.

Hearing the knock at the door she gulped down the last of the tea and made her way to the entrance. Opening the door she smiled taking in the beautiful woman before her, marveling at Sena's obvious resemblance to her brother. Sena wore a long dark dress and light colored blouse, a white hat was held idly in one hand, her dark hair running down her back in plats. The pair bowed to each other as they traded introductions.

"Good Morning, Ono-san. I'm Kasumi Tendo, thank you for coming."

"Thank you for seeing me Tendo-san, and Sena is just fine." Sena replied before changing her shoes for house slippers.

Kasumi led Sena through the house to the main room before leaving to get tea from the kitchen. Sena was mildly surprised to see the familiar Panda playing an older man at a game of Go.

"Hello Mr Saotome, I didn't expect to see you here."

Genma tried to keep one eye on the game board as he whipped out a sign for Sena. Hello Sena.

Soun knew he had already fallen far behind in this game, and attempted to use the newcomer as a distraction to sway the balance. He looked away from the board and looked over Sena, "Why hello there Miss, I'm Soun Tendo."

"Hello Tendo-san, I'm Sena Ono, the sister of Doctor Tofu Ono."

Soun could be as oblivious as Kasumi acted at times, but by some miracle he actually jumped to an accurate conclusion. He had long considered Doctor Tofu already claimed as a son in law, but his disappearance had come as a shock and disappointment. But if Kasumi was talking to his family there was still hope.

"Oh really? A pleasure to meet you. I always considered your brother the son I never had. He was a great friend to my family." Soun smiled when he saw in Sena's eyes she had gotten his subtle message, it was back behind the overwhelmed expression, and turned to his friend who sat eyeing him trying to figure out how Soun intended to use this to shift the game back into his favor after he had added all but the winning tile for his side.

"Come Saotome, we can continue this in the Dojo and let the girls talk." Before Genma could answer, Soun had picked up the board and was walking quickly across the yard to the Dojo.

Kasumi was still in the hall holding a tray of tea and trying to control her blush at her fathers embarrassing behavior. What would Sena think of her and her weird family? 'Nothing if I'm not there to think about.' Steeling herself she stepped into the room and over to the table.

Sena was still looking out into the yard, blinking several times. She certainly hadn't expected Kasumi's father to be offering his daughter up so fast. Seeing Kasumi coming in she looked back but was distracted by the sound of many chipping sounds from out in the Dojo.

"Oops, sorry Saotome, I tripped. We'll have to call that one a draw."

"Grrr"

Looking back at her host, Sena saw the redness in Kasumi's cheeks and tried to get a conversation going. "I didn't expect to see Mr Saotome here. Is he staying with you?"

Kasumi leapt at the chance to get into a conversation. "Yes, he and father used to train in martial arts together and haven't seen each other in years." Pouring cups for each of them, she offered Sena some tea.

"Hmmm, this is very good."

"Thank you."

Sena took a second sip when her brow furrowed. "I thought Aunty Nodoka said something about her husband seeing the family of another of her son's fiancée's..." Sena pulled the cup from her mouth as she rose slightly in her posture, several ideas clicking together. "Is your sister Akane another fiancée to Ranma?"

"No..." started automatically. Kasumi didn't like to think about the near deceit Aunty Saotome was propagating to give Ranma and Akane a chance to be together, but she wasn't going to start with her potential sister in law with a lie. "... not until he chooses her. There is an agreement to unite the families but Aunty made sure he gets the choice of which one of the Tendo daughters he wants."

Sena smiled wickedly. Aunty Nodoka had been friends with her family for a long time while her son and husband where away, and she had a great deal of respect for the woman, even if she did have some old fashioned attitudes. "And Akane and Ranma don't know about this, do they?"

"No, that's why Mr Saotome is staying here. Aunty kicked him out when father and he decided Akane was the best choice and tried to force it on her. Akane hasn't made the connection that Ranma's father was trying to get her to be his daughter in law yet. Nodoka wants to give Ranma and Akane the chance to be friends before they know about the engagement."

"Don't worry, I wont tell them. Ranma's a sweet boy and his current fiancée's don't deserve him."

"He seems like a nice boy, and Akane seems really happy to be there with him. Perhaps it will all work out."

"Perhaps it will." Taking another sip of the tea she looked Kasumi over again. "But that's not why I'm here." Seeing Kasumi's posture stiffen, she smiled slightly knowing Kasumi really was interested. Completing her promise to mother to find her brother a good wife was as good as done.

(To be continued)

I also apologise for my erratic use of honorifics, I don't think in those terms so I can't write naturally in them.

Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and Sakurabana for proof reading and advising.

Thank you for reading,

Trent O'Donoghue


	5. Chapter 5

Meeting Later 5

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 09/05/10

* * *

Ukyo flicked her ponytail over her shoulder, ignoring the looks from the students of Bokuto High as they entered the gate she stood beside.

Most of the students knew who she was, or at least could make a decent guess. Dressed in black tights and a blue tunic, with the giant spatula on her back and the bandolier of smaller spatula across her chest, she held an okonomiyaki box before her. The box was slightly tilted to show her business logo, and slightly opened at the sides to let the smell waft out to the passing students.

She smiled carefully at the passers-by who looked at her but any who approached she didn't hesitate to ask to please leave since she was waiting for her fiancé. Behind the smile her thoughts tumbled over and again trying to suppress anger at how little she had seen of Ranma of late, and how he wasn't even talked about in the store without mention of her, Akane Tendo. It sounded like wherever one went the other followed, and what was worse was it wasn't far from the truth. She was even seen more and more often in the same Chinese style clothes as Ranma.

She knew what she had done wrong. She had been too worried about her business and too confidant that she was obviously in no danger of losing Ranma to Sakura or Shampoo that now someone new had appeared and was worming her way more into his life than his oldest friend and real fiancée. Now she just had to go and find out what was going on. And maybe make it clear to him that a fiancé shouldn't be hanging with other girls all the time.

Ukyo's thoughts were interrupted as she saw Akane jogging up the fence just ahead of Ranma. Her arms were out slightly and her face showed her absolute concentration. Ranma was slightly behind her smiling about something as he watched her legwork on the thin fence. At least he had better be watching her legwork and not her.

* * *

With a smile that nothing could wipe off, Ranma was still thinking about his impending victory next Saturday, the first of November. Now he finally had Akane's martial arts dining technique solved, the breakfast title would be his. The same day as the first fights of the tournament, this weekend was gonna be great. His thoughts were disturbed when his student leapt from the fence a good fifty yards short of the school gate.

He managed to follow his student's glare to the boys who 'happened' to be leaning against the fence slightly up from them, trying to look innocent and not disappointed. They wouldn't have stopped the martial artists from passing but they would have been able to get a peek up Akane's school skirt. He was surprised by the flush of anger that gave him and was about to go over and give them a talking to when he heard Ukyo's voice.

"Ranchan honey?"

His anger forgotten, Ranma turned back towards the gate and smiled and waved, then pointed her out to Akane.

Ukyo managed to hold the smile as Ranma almost immediately spoke to Akane, rather than rush over to his fiancée. As the pair approached she increased the smile for her fiancée, he always liked it when she was cute.

"Hey Ucchan. How are things?"

The brown haired girl managed to keep her smile on her face as she looked past Ranma at Akane. "Akane honey, can you give me a few seconds with my fiancé."

Akane felt a little jealousy and had to suppress an urge to say no, as she heard both the stressing of the 'my' and the fact it wasn't a question. "Sure Ukyo. I'll see you in class Ranma."

Ranma turned to Akane, giving Ukyo the opportunity to glare daggers at Akane's saccharine smile, so much like Nodoka's own patronizing look.

"Yeah. See ya there Akane. So what's up Ucchan?"

Ukyo's smile returned as her fiancé faced her again and Akane vanished into the school gate. She held out the Okonomiyaki box and lifted the lid to him. "What? I just wanted to see my fiancé. Hungry?" She waited for his mouth and eyes to lock on his favorite food.

"Ah, actually Ucchan, I kinda had a big breakfast." The moment he saw the shock and disbelief in her eyes he realized he'd done something wrong in refusing the food. He jumped in before Ukyo could speak and plucked it from her grip. "Ah, I'll just let it settle for a second before I eat it. Thanks"

Ukyo lost her shock but her eyes showed her suspicion "Ranchan, I haven't seen you around the shop in the last week. You know I miss you when you're not around."

"I've been busy training for the tournament. Are you, Konatsu, and Junko gonna be ready?"

Ukyo brought out her biggest smile and laid one had on his arm. "Oh, we'll be ready. I can't wait to be up on the slopes with you."

Ranma was lost in confusion for a second before he remembered the prize in the tournament, a ski resort in the mountains with him for three days, well with whoever won the men's division, which would be him. "Ah yeah, that'd be good. Better watch out for Shampoo, she's got some new shooting star technique I haven't seen yet, and you know how dirty Sakura can fight."

"I can take them if it means we get some time for us to be together for a few days. We can pick up from where we left off on our date."

"Date?"

Ukyo almost growled at the complete incomprehension in her fiancé's eyes. "When we went out after I helped you learn the Hiryu Shoten Ha and get your strength back, silly."

"Oh yeah, that date." If it wasn't for the fact he mastered the Hiryu Shoten Ha that would have been one of the worst weeks of his life, culminating with Ukyo trying to force feed him ice cream on their 'victory date' before Shampoo showed up with that dumb Ghost Cat and its bell.

Ukyo didn't like that his eyes didn't reflect happiness at their date. She stepped in close to him. "Soooo, what are Akane's weak spots?"

Ranma suddenly found he didn't want to look into her eyes and slipped a hand into the box and tearing some Okonomiyaki free. "Ah, she's pretty good all round Ucchan." He shoved the piece of Ukyo's special into his mouth hoping it might placate her a little but somehow even as he tasted it, he knew it wouldn't.

"But she's got to have some holes."

"Not really. Her technique is very good. Let's leave it at that."

Ukyo's hand slipped back onto the large spatula handle. "You don't want me to win!" she accused.

"Ucchan, Akane's like... my student. I won't go telling her weak spots to everyone. And if I told you I'd have to tell Sakura and Shampoo. Would you rather they could win or just a friend?"

"Friend? Is she 'just a friend'? You two aren't ever seen apart. Wherever you go, she follows. You're my fiancé Ranma. Why aren't you hanging around with me?"

Ranma was looking from side to side feeling the gaze of the students passing on him. "Ucchan, calm down. I can't really just hang out with any of ya cause if Shampoo sees me she'll be badgering me for a date claiming you got one?"

Ukyo looked angrily at her fiancé for a few seconds before she spoke. "If I hear you have even touched her out side of sparring..." She turned away and stormed off, leaving the threat hanging.

Ranma sighed heavily as he watched his oldest friend leaving. Turning he entered the gate, idly holding out the Okonomiyaki box to a couple of the boys who quickly snatched it. As he began to walk towards the building, he was irritated to hear Toko's nasally voice.

"Not so fast Saotome." Looking back over his shoulder he was about to ask what the little jerk wanted but Toko was already pointing past him to the building.

Ranma turned back and his blue eyes narrowed on the couple near the school doors, cursing that he'd given his word to obey the court order that kept him away.

* * *

Akane continued to walk up to the school building thinking idly that Ranma deserved better than Ukyo. Hell, she'd be tempted to ask him out if he was single. She'd certainly treat him better than any of his current fiancée's did. Reaching the stairs, she turned and looked back towards the gate, wondering how long Ranma would be.

"All the boys wonder how he does it?"

Looking to her right, Akane apprised the young man who had spoken. Taller than herself with brown hair and dark eyes, he was staring off towards the gate, showing off his handsome profile. "Excuse me?"

"All the boys of this school wonder how he does it. Three gorgeous fiancées and other pretty girls showing up all the time. And now someone as cute as you living with him. What is it? The martial arts?"

Akane looked over the boy with slight anger at his implication. "Sorry to burst your bubble but I'm living with Ranma and his Mother for other reasons. I'm not dating him, we're just friends and training partners."

The boy's smile didn't waver. "Oh? So if I asked you out, you can accept?"

The girl began to blush, it had been since before Kuno had fallen for her that she had last been asked out, without it being a trick or her being used anyway, and she had regretted saying no after what had happened with Kuno's challenge. She tried to cover the blush with a question. "Who are you?"

The boy stepped slightly closer to Akane reading her desire to accept. "Jiro Ohata. So... will you go out with me?"

Akane was caught off guard as his dark eyes looked into hers but her mind remembered Ranma mentioning the boy on her first day of school here, and how he apparently led Toko and his friends. She had an odd form of concern flush through her as she remembered Ranma had hinted at something that had happened between them. Putting her hand on his chest she pushed him back to the length of her arm. "So you're friends with Toko and his jerk buddies?"

Jiro winced slightly. He had feared Ranma had blabbed to her about him but he wasn't going to let it go at this. He could at least try and twist it to his advantage. "Can I ask what Ranma has said I supposedly done to him?"

The dark haired girl looked at Gyro's face as she replied. "Ranma only mentioned you once that I remember. But if you're friends with jerks like Toko, I don't really want to know you." She began to walk into the main building with her back to him.

"I'm disappointed that you don't give me a chance to refute his claims. Do you trust him that much?" he called to her back.

She stopped and looked back at Jiro, "Jiro, he has only mentioned you once and didn't claim anything. If you want to defend yourself, obviously you've done something to him in the past. As for me going out with you, there is as much chance of that as there is of me dating Toko. Nil!" Akane turned and walked back into the school grinning at the sniggers from some others who had been watching and a thumbs-up from one of the girls in the building.

His dark eyes narrowed on Akane as she left, already in thoughts of getting her back even as he ignored the whispers and looks he was being given by some of the students. The same students who had wouldn't have dared to laugh at him when he was the toughest here. Before Ranma Saotome had come to his school.

* * *

Akane was surprised when Ranma showed up in class and sat backwards at his desk facing her. "Can I ask what Ohata wanted?"

She was surprised at the odd mix of worry and anger in his eyes. Was Ranma jealous? Or just worried because of whatever happened between him and Jiro before she had come to this school? "He asked me on a date."

"What! You didn't accept did you?"

Nervously looking around at the attention Ranma's shout had drawn, Akane shook her head. "No, of course not."

The pigtailed boy calmed, realizing everyone was looking at them. He looked from side to side. "Ah sorry everyone." Seeing most of the students returned to their own conversations, he turned back to Akane. "Good choice. He's a jerk, trust me."

She leaned in a little closer. "I can't really be dating anyone if I'm engaged." Ranma nodded knowing exactly how she would feel on that. "Besides, the only guy I'd want to date here is engaged."

Akane blushed as she realized what she had admitted, but Ranma blushed more as her words reminded him of his mother's joke about Akane as a mistress.

The bell ringing and the teacher beginning class stopped either from commenting further.

* * *

"Oh thank you Doctor, that feels so much better."

"Just hold still for a little more, Shirito-san. Your shoulder still needs to rest from straining it like that. I'll get you a sling and you can go home."

Doctor Tofu Ono left the examination room to the back storage room to get a sling. He lifted the sealed packet from a box on the shelf when he heard the voice behind him.

"Good morning, Doctor Tofu."

He didn't even turn around as the voice summoned up a thousand images of the young woman, always smiling, always polite, always so beautiful. He didn't even realize he was dancing around the room, knocking off shelves, and at some stage grabbing a broom as a dancing partner.

-WACK-clack-

The unique clack of the shinai reverberated around the small room, before the bamboo sword cracked again, this time into his side rather than the back of his head.

Sena's voice was harsh. "None of that brother, you have no idea how hard it was to get Kasumi to give you another chance. You will not be off dancing like that on your date." Sena turned and left with the shinai and the small tape player in hand.

Tofu looked up at the now at the empty doorway, thinking disappointing thoughts about his own foolishness when he only heard Kasumi's voice. He knew he had to be strong if he was even going to face her again, though Sena's training methods were a little harsh he thought as he rubbed his head and side. Picking up another sling he turned off the light and shut the door knowing he'd need to clean all that mess up before closing tonight.

* * *

Ranma and Akane were walking home from after school training, as the sky began to darken with the fading sun of dusk. Ranma was walking on the sidewalk while Akane, dressed in her 'training outfit' of some of his too-small Chinese clothes, was walking along the fence

"So Sensei, am I ready for the tournament?"

The pigtailed boy looked up at her question, "You're ready for the ring, but as for the fights...maybe."

"You think your fiancées can beat me?" she said looking down at him, part concerned of his opinion, part just trying to goad him into talking.

"Straight up... Ukyo you can probably take, she's good but doesn't know enough special moves and doesn't fight too dirty. If you're quick, you can put Sakura down before she uses any of her dirtier moves, just use the counters like I showed you. Shampoo though... she's as good as you and I don't really know too much about what special moves she's got. With her, remember what I said about not letting her behind you, keep your cool, and don't let her lead you in the spiral."

"You're adamant about that spiral, what's so special about it?"

Ranma smirked at her for a second, "The Rising Dragon Accession Blast. A little trick I was taught by Shampoo's Great Grandmother. When I used it on Happosai, I put him down hard with one punch."

Akane stopped to look at him, positive he was yanking her chain, but she had picked the smug look on his face. Still, the image of Happi trashing Pantyhose Taro in his monster form was vivid in her mind, "No way, I've seen Grandfather take down an actual monster in seconds. No way one move can put him down, well aside from Miss Hinako."

"I've seen the old pervert come back from all sorts of blows, but doesn't change the fact that this one put him down quick smart. If you get good enough, I might even show it to you." He grinned up at her.

Akane turned to keep walking, "And just how much better will I need to be?"

"A bit of focus training and you may be ready. But I'll warn you, that was one of the most humiliating times of my life to learn that technique, and it won't be any easier on you."

"Oh, what'd you have to do?"

"I'll leave that as a surprise, but be ready to be embarrassed."

"This isn't some excuse for you to be perverted is it?"

Checks reddening, his voice held his indignation, "What? No, I'd never..."

Akane laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, picking up speed and running from him down the fence.

"Hey, wait up!"

* * *

Shifting her grip on her bags, Nabiki Tendo looked ahead up the road she walked. She'd gotten off at the wrong train station and had to walk twice as far to the Saotome house. She knew she should have taken off a few classes early rather than try and brave Japan Rail and Tokyo as it entered peak hour after school.

Anyway, with the weekend, this was a four day holiday for her and she was not going to waste it, especially on a non-event of sitting at home in an empty house. With Kasumi coming to stay with Aunty in some plan of getting another chance with the good Doctor Tofu, Grandfather had decided to take his two old students on a training trip, 'just like old times' he'd put it.

Her thoughts were interrupted with her stride as someone ran into her, scattering her bags around and knocking her down. She tried to tuck and roll with it, as she had learned when she was younger, but lack of practice and the surprise slowed the reaction too much.

Fortunately a boy caught her before she hit the pavement. A cute boy with big blue eyes and a pigtail, and if the muscles she could feel against her were any indication, a really nice build.

"Are you all right, miss?" The dreamboat asked.

Nabiki considered saying her foot hurt to get him to carry her for a while, but there would be no way to handle the bags. Besides, anyone this good had to be taken already.

A girl wearing an outfit similar to the boys came up with her packages. Hopefully dreamboat's sister, but probably his girlfriend.

"I'm really sorry for running into you that way... Nabiki?"

This broke the brown haired girl from her dazed examination of the boy holding her. 'Akane?' That meant that this was probably Ranma. Figured, her sister always got the good ones.

"Well," Nabiki drawled. "I've been wanting to meet you Ranma. Though this wasn't quite what I imagined, not that I mind too much."

"I think you can put her down now, Ranma." Akane said in a terse voice. "And Sis, wipe that drool off your face."

Ranma set her down and stepped back. He looked very nervous all of a sudden.

'Looks like Akane had him wrapped around her finger already,' Nabiki thought. "You have him well trained, Akane."

Akane glared at her for a moment, then grinned. "Actually, he came out of the box like this, isn't it adorable."

"Hey!" the boy cried but at Ranma's bright blush, the two sisters just giggled.

"So what are you doing over here? Are you staying with us like Kasumi?" she asked, gesturing to the overnight bag amongst the others.

"Yep, it's a long weekend and Grandfather took Dad and Mr Saotome off on a training trip. I thought I'd come and cheer you on at the tournament."

Akane looked at her in obvious confusion, "But Sis, today is Thursday, what about school tomorrow, we only get the Monday off for Culture Day?#"

#(Culture day - An actual Japanese holiday event held on the third of November, celebrating and fostering the ideals of the Constitution --the love of peace and freedom-- through cultural activities.)

Nabiki gave her a self-satisfied smirk but her voice was full of innocence, "Principal Kuno decided to close the school tomorrow. Teachers thought it was odd but the fax did have pineapples on it and was from Hawaii."

Akane laughed a little, "Come on, we're running a bit late as it is." Akane handed her sister's bags to Ranma, who took them with a sigh and followed along behind them.

"So, what's been going on at school Nabiki? I've been out of the loop a while."

"Well, your leaving caused a lot of changes. To start with the Hentai Horde just waited the gates as normal for a few mornings before one of them had an even stupider idea..."

* * *

Ranma walked behind the gossiping sisters with the bags. Normally he'd have hated having to do this, but watching two good-looking women walk along from behind wasn't too bad.

Akane was walking gracefully along beside her sister, while Nabiki walked with a slight swing to her hips and had legs almost as nice as Akanes'.

Watching Nabiki was interesting. She was built almost exactly the same as Akane, but didn't have as much muscle or the firm strength that came with martial arts training. She looked like Akane probably would have if she hadn't been into martial arts as much.

Ranma realized what he'd been thinking of and blushed. Time to think of something else before his perverted thoughts became a little too noticeable.

The rest of the way home Ranma struggled to think of school, seeing Akane's eldest sister again, dinner, or anything else to distract him from the two very attractive girls in front of him.

* * *

Kasumi leaned over to Nabiki as Akane and Nodoka's carried the empty plates from the table and Ranma excused himself to go to the bathroom after dinner. "Did you notice our little sister hasn't stopped smiling?"

The middle Tendo sister nodded, "Yeah, it's kinda scary how smitten she is. She's definitely got a crush on him. Did you see how they lean towards each other, all the time?"

"She doesn't seem to care about the curse either. Though turning into a girl is more acceptable than turning into an animal like his father," Kasumi added in a low voice.

Nabiki shuddered slightly at the thought of such a curse, before smirking, "Then again, Akane may like that he can be a she."

"Nabiki!" Kasumi whispered in shock at her sister's accusation. Calming she whispered again, "If you remember, she had a good time on that date with Taro-kun, and was very upset when she found out he..."

Ranma raised an eyebrow when he returned to the room, the girls' conversation stopping instantly. He was about to apologize for interrupting when Nabiki spoke.

"So Ranma, what do you think of our little sister?"

His blue eyes instantly looked towards the kitchen door at the question, before looking back and sitting in his place. "She's a lot of fun to be around and train with, funny, and a nice person. Why?"

She ignored his question, pouncing on his words, "Nicer than your fiancées?"

Ranma shuffled uncomfortably. "Well... she's nicer than Shampoo and Sakura sure, but when Ukyo isn't on about the engagement, she can be pretty nice." He replied, stressing the point on Ukyo.

Kasumi spoke up ignoring Ranma's defensiveness of his oldest friend. "Your father said you only had two other fiancées?"

"Heh, I wish. He's just adamant about Shampoo not being one because he isn't solely responsible for that one, unlike Ukyo and Sakura, and probably the two others I haven't met yet."

"Shampoo? Odd name?"

The boy's shoulders sagged a bit, "Shampoo is a Chinese Amazon. They got this dumb rule about if an outsider woman defeats her she has to kill them, but if a man defeats her, she has to marry him. I had to challenge her in China for the prize in a tournament, a prize that Pop had already eaten. When I beat her in my cursed form she had to chase me over most of Asia trying to kill me, but when she got here she attacked Mom and I accidentally knocked her out to stop her, this time in my guy form. When she found out there was only one of me she decided she still had to marry me or she can't go back to her people with any honor."

Part way through the explanation, Nodoka and Akane came back in with some tea. Nodoka picked up where her son left off. "Because Ranma's actions have affected her honor, we agreed that she should be counted as one of the fiancées contesting for him. This also stopped her from trying to kill the other fiancées and lessened her attempts to bed him."

Kasumi paled, and Nabiki's eyebrows rose, looking at the now blushing martial artist.

"To preserve the honor of the fiancées as much as possible in this predicament, Ranma agreed to give his word to not engage in intimacies with his fiancées till one has been chosen. Although this hadn't stopped Shampoo or Sakura from trying."

Both Kasumi and Nabiki blinked twice in unison, trying to comprehend it all, before looking over Ranma in a way he wasn't sure he liked. Especially the way Nabiki tilted her head slightly and pursed her lips in consideration.

"Ahem." Akane's voice held a tone that brought the pair back to the moment, Kasumi blushing lightly while Nabiki rolled her eyes.

Nodoka served the tea out before bringing up another subject. "Ranma, Akane, we have to submit your outfits for approval tomorrow. I've put what I made up in your rooms. Could I get you to try them on and we can see if you like them."

"Sure Mom."

"Okay Aunty."

The pair gulped the tea in single motions and dashed up the stairs.

A few moments later Ranma came back down.

"Well, ah, what d'ya think?" he asked the three women at the table, his voice betraying his self-consciousness at playing model.

The three women at the table looked at the young man walking back into the room. He wore a clean version of the black pants he had been wearing earlier, but now with black bracers and a crimson, sleeveless silk shirt, still Chinese in style, with gold ties. Turning around, it showed a black stallion, trimmed in gold, rearing on the back.

Ranma was a bit put off by the appraising looks from the two girls but the way his mother nodded and smiled he figured it must look pretty good.

The sound of Akane coming down the stairs made him turn. She wore an outfit obviously made as a match for his, but where he had shirt and pants, hers was a single outfit of the same silk. Cut on the top in imitation of Ranma's, it was the same crimson with the gold ties, though a little tighter on her. But from the waist down it was black like his pants, tight over the hips, and upper thigh, cutting off diagonally from the outside in, revealing her legs generously. A matching black stallion adorned her back as well, and a pair of black bracers encircled her wrists.

Akane looked over Ranma, this outfit so like his normal, but the bright sheen from the deep crimson silk made him seem so much more formal, more powerful. She looked back at his eyes with a light blush, trying not to think about his build, or those wide shoulders, or the way his biceps flexed when he moved his arms. She was initially surprise as she saw his blue eyes were looking down at her legs, but rather than the anger she normally felt at a boy staring at her, she twisted slightly to show more of her thigh revealed by the higher side cuts of the material, his eyes rising up her leg, to her appreciation.

Nodoka, Nabiki, and Kasumi all sat watching the two gazing at each other, slight smiles appearing as Akane led Ranma with her body. But when Ranma realized he was staring and began blushing, which set off Akane's blushing, Nodoka spoke up.

"Do you like them?"

Ranma had to swallow for his dry throat, "Yeah, they look great. Thanks Mom."

Akane was looking down at hers with a slight frown. Her fingers tugged the material slightly tighter over her waist. "I'm not sure here, Aunty." The look in her brown eyes was unsure, but hardened into determined when they saw Ranma was looking at her body again, nodding slightly. "Can we make it a bit tighter around here?"

"Of course Akane. We could add a sash or belt, or would you prefer I could..."

A hard knocking at the door interrupted Nodoka, and Ranma called he had it before anyone at the table could even move. Nodoka rose to stand beside Akane, checking the material around her waist to see if she could take it in. The sounds of voices and scuffling turned the four women's heads turned towards the hall.

Ranma managed to drag himself and the purple haired visitor constricted around his body back into main room. His face was reddening from lack of air, his eyes broadcasting a cry for help. He seemed to be trying to push her leotard clad form off him but his hands were awkwardly on her lower thigh and shoulder, getting poor leverage.

The growl emerging from Akane broadcast her flaring temper as she stepped up to help him, her anger not only on the Chinese girl as he wasn't trying hard to extricate himself. "Let him go, you hussy!"

Shampoo felt the flaring of battle aura and released Ranma, pushing him back into Akane and assuming a fighting stance. Akane yanked Ranma around and behind her, ignoring him heavily hitting the wall and collapsing, as she appraised the Chinese girl before her.

"Ladies, there is no fighting in my home." Nodoka's tone forced both girls to back down. "Better. Shampoo, why are you here?"

Putting on her biggest smile for her 'mother-in-law', the foreign girl looked to Nodoka, "Shampoo here to show husband fighting outfit for tournament. You like? TV men like very much." She asked, posing to show off her figure and outfit. It was a rich blue leotard, smattered with some tiny sparkles, with darker purple lining, cut high on the hips. Body paint, the same purple as the lining, was painted as three stripes on her biceps and thighs. Topped off with gold hair ornaments and a light sparkling make up on her face, with her finger and toenails in a matching paint.

Both Kasumi and Nabiki looked at it as rather skimpy for a live TV, while Nodoka actually thought it was about what she'd expect for the Chinese girl. It was Ranma's comment from the floor that really made eyes wide.

"What outfit?"

The four suddenly became aware of what he was referring to, as they looked closer at the leotard. It wasn't cloth, it was more body paint. It took effort to pick out the small bikini that made up the only actual material she wore.

The women were initially stunned that anyone would wear such an outfit, especially before a crowd, and even more especially for a television audience.

Looking away as she gulped down her tea to try and regain her composure, Kasumi blushed brightly in embarrassment that anyone would do that.

Nabiki's eyes were wide in amazement, she didn't consider herself prudish but this was ridiculous. This Chinese girl was obviously proud of her body, obviously not shy about showing it, and was offering it to her sister's fiancée on a platter. She glanced at Ranma wondering how Shampoo had not snagged him yet, was he gay?

Teeth grinding, Akane was seething, her jealousy of the girl building up with lightning speed. How dare she wear THAT! How dare she grab Ranma wearing THAT!

Nodoka groaned and rubbed her forehead at this display of Shampoo's. The girl wasn't going to accept not being the winner if they chose anyone else.

Smirking at the reactions, Shampoo kept one eye on the shorthaired girl in front of her. She had heard Akane was now the one to beat in the tournament, and decided to make sure Akane was less then level headed when they fought. She smiled innocently and kept her eyes wide, "That outfit for tournament? It very nice. It hide big waist well, no TV people notice at all."

Akane flashed with blue anger, her arms reaching back as she readied to attack. But before she could, Ranma's hand clamped on her arm, holding her back. She glanced back at him with angry eyes as he held her back from showing this hussy what she should have the first time they met, but his eyes were on Shampoo's.

"Shampoo, shut up. Akane's outfit looks great to me."

The short haired girl's eyes softened before she pulled him beside her and turned back on Shampoo, gesturing to the two outfits of the Anything Goes competitors, "Better hope this tournament doesn't get shown back in China, Shampoo. It'll be hard to say they'll think he's your 'Airen' and not someone else's in these outfits."

The barb hit the mark, Shampoo's face-hardened and she glared at the girl before her but before she could reply, physically or verbally, Nodoka spoke over them. "Ladies, that is enough. I'm sorry Shampoo, unfortunately we are entertaining guests here and I will have to ask you to come back after the weekend. You outfit looks very nice and we will no doubt see you at the tournament on Saturday."

"Mother-in-law have more women stay with husband!"

Nodoka's eyes rolled. "Shampoo, this is Nabiki and this is Kasumi, Akane's sisters. They are staying here, and not in my son's bedroom, while their sister is in the tournament."

Shampoo seemed to lose her anger and pointed at Kasumi, "Aiyah! This Doctor's Airen Kasumi? One who make Doctor crazy love dance?"

Kasumi 'eeped' and blushed as all eyes fell on her, most with grins at the accusation. Shampoo could read the reactions and while Akane was looking at her sister, rushed in to give her husband a bone cracking glomp. By the time Akane swung back around she had released him and was walking out. "Okay, see Airen, Mother-in-law, and big waist girl at tournament. Bye bye."

The two families were left blinking as the under clad young lady left again, Kasumi still blushing, Ranma trying to get his breath back, and Akane grinding her teeth.

"Well there's a girl who knows how to get attention." Nabiki drawled, an amused grin attached to her face as she considered the few minutes Shampoo was here.

Nodoka shook her head looking at the door one of her potential daughter-in-laws left through. She wasn't high on Nodoka's list of preferences, but she was in front of Sakura. "That she does. Though she used to go through walls rather then doors. My son does have a tendency to attract some quite enthusiastic and often colorful admirers. Akane dear, I do have another outfit that may show off your slender waist a little more. It's a tad more risqué than this one, though far more modest than what some competitors are choosing."

The youngest Tendo girl looked down at her outfit and then glanced out the door Shampoo had left through, pulling the material of her outfit against her and out again in indecision.

Nabiki spoke up and settled the matter, "You can just try it on and see if it works Akane, if not, go back to this one."

* * *

Nabiki, Ranma and Akane sat around the table, the girls listening as Ranma spoke of when Shampoo had first come to Juban after him. Shampoo had found out the 'girl Ranma' was living here, and had attacked his mother for hiding the female him from her, which was when he accidentally knocked her out, this time in male form, becoming her 'Airen'. The girls listened in near amazement as he went on, explaining the ordeal of Shampoo's memory erasure technique she used on his mother. Shampoo offered Genma and Ranma the cure in trade for help killing 'girl Ranma', and after Genma blew his own plan and Shampoo was about to decapitate the bound and tied Ranma-chan, Nodoka instinctively tried to save him. Ranma was freed and after she showed she was also the male Ranma, Shampoo had left. Nodoka had managed to regain her memory through a secret technique Genma claimed to have used. Ranma was obviously still annoyed at not knowing how his father had fixed his wife's memory... and he told the girls with confusion obvious on his face how his mother had ordered him to not succumb to Shampoo's technique, that Genma's cure wouldn't work on him.

The three had been chatting since Nodoka had taken measurements off Akane and went to prepare the alternate outfit. Kasumi had quickly followed her with an offer to help when Nabiki had turned to her in preparation for some teasing about 'Airens' and 'crazy love dances'.

As Ranma's story wound down, Nabiki's business mind directed the conversation onto some ventures this weekend was offering. "So Ranma, what do you think my little sisters chances are this weekend?"

He glanced at Akane before looking back at Nabiki, "I expect that only Sakura and Shampoo can take her, but I reckon she'll do well if they don't get drawn early. Sakura tends to cheat and fight dirty, but Akane's better than her in fighting. Shampoo... she's good and she's never had the chance to go all out on me before so I don't know how good she is, but her Grandmother taught me some of my best moves, so she could be real good there."

The younger sister was smiling tightly, her eyes nearly glowing, "I can take her. She was picking on my waist because she's scared that I nearly took you down. I can take her."

Pleased that sister was going to do well in the tourney, Nabiki moved onto her more pressing concern. "You nearly took Ranma down? As in, you haven't beaten him yet?"

Akane blushed lightly, "Well, not in sparing, no. But I got him beat at the breakfast table."

Ranma grinned a challenge at her. "Only till Saturday, Akane. Then that title is mine."

"You wish Ranma, I am the champion of breakfast, and will be for a long time."

Nabiki watched the two teasingly posturing, but couldn't sit back when she was so close to a nice big load of easy yen. "If Ranma can take you Akane, then he can take Kuno. So you won't mind if I invite Kuno to see the tournament, will you?"

Her sister however looked back at her horrified. "No! No, Nabiki. It's been so good to be without him for these weeks. You can't tell him where I am."

Nabiki held up her hand to stop her sister's panicked voice. "Akane, he's going to know you're in Juban eventually. He's been offering two hundred thousand yen for your new address, and has even hired a private investigator that tried asking us for where you are. And you know he likes to watched televised fights and think he is there fighting them, he's going to know your in Juban now anyway when he sees you on the weekend. At least if I tell him, we get some money into the house. It sounds like Ranma can take him anyway."

Ranma nodded as Nabiki finished. "If you can beat him, I can Akane. If he starts pestering you, I'll give him some lumps to change his mind."

"Idiot, when he comes after me, he wants to date me. I've seen his killing moves Ranma, Prince Toma and his friends were as good as me and they couldn't stand up to Kuno when he thought I had married him."

The pigtailed boy went pale and his voice was rushed, "What! Who had married you?"

Akane proceeded to tell the tale of last summer when it was really hot she had been convinced to take Kuno up on his offer of a yacht cruise because Nabiki and the rest of her family wanted to get away from the heat. Toma and his men of Togenkyou Island had kidnapped her and the other girls on the trip. Toma had used his illusion powers to defeat Kuno in their first fight but in the second Kuno tore through him and knocked him out before he could really consider what he was going to do. It was only that Akane held Kuno back that stopped him from killing Toma, but then in a fight with Toma's men, Kuno did so much collateral damage he made the entire island collapse in on itself. They all made it to boats as the island sunk. Even Nabiki looked a bit worried at the memories of what had happened then.

Ranma had an odd look in his eye as he took it in. He was surprised at the nervousness this guy inspired in him, but it was already fading at the thought of a challenger of such caliber, it was kind of appealing. But he also knew he couldn't have any fights with such potential damage from recklessness in the streets of Juban. "Akane, if this guy is gonna show up anyway, you may as well know when he's coming, and we can try and make sure any fights we have are formal challenges. That way we can avoid the accidents of street fighting."

Shoulders slumping, Akane looked at her friend and her sister for a moment, her face showing that she would prefer he not know at all where she was. Finally she spoke angrily, "Argh, why can't he just stay out of my life?"

"Kuno will fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat for a pretty girl, Akane. But it seems you he isn't going to give up on. Just let me tell him, and like Ranma said, we can control when and where he be," Nabiki said, smirking.

"I don't know Nabiki, what if..." Akane was interrupted when Aunty Saotome called her to come upstairs. As she stood up she shrugged, "Let me think about it."

The two watched her quickly leave, the leggings of her outfit fluttering as she moved. Nabiki looked back at Ranma and smirked as he was still watching her sister.

"She's got great legs, doesn't she?"

"Hmm," he agreed with a nod, before suddenly realizing and blushing, "Ah, I wasn't..."

Nabiki laughed out loud that he'd even try denying it.

He was still blushing as she wound down her laughter but decided to change the subject from him being a pervert. "So tell me about this Kuno guy, what's he like? If he comes in trying to bully Akane for a date I'm gonna have to challenge him."

Nabiki considered asking for a little payment, but realized if Ranma thought he could take him, he could help Akane let her tell Kuno where she was. She began explaining how Kuno used to be an arrogant jerk, but when he got that magic wishing sword, he became so tough and skilled. He had begun trying to force Akane on dates and into an engagement. Nabiki was surprised by the angry scowl on his face whenever she mentioned something Kuno had tried to do anything to Akane, he even cracked his knuckles at one point.

Still listening to Nabiki, Ranma jumped when Nodoka, Kasumi, and Akane returned, not that Ranma noticed his mother or the older sister as he looked over Akane. She was in a similar outfit to the last, but this one consisted of a short black pleated skirt, still showing a lot of her thighs, with a smaller sleeveless crimson silk shirt, once again with gold trim and ties, and the black stallion rearing on the back. Though this one was tighter on her lithe frame, hugging her chest and upper stomach, then cut off an inch below her breasts, showing off her smooth skin over muscled stomach and narrow waist.

The women looked at Akane with various nods, though Kasumi was still a little wary of it being a little revealing for the public. But the three followed Akane's gaze back to Ranma, who was staring at her body, nodding slowly in approval.

Nabiki smirked, drawing a hanky from her pocket and reaching to dab at Ranma's mouth, as if wiping away drool. "Looks like you have Ranma's vote, Akane."

He flinched, then glanced guiltily around the women watching him, before returning his gaze to Akane, who was blushing at the attention, "Hey, it wasn't like that. It looks... real nice, Akane."

Nabiki was putting her handkerchief away and looked at Akane again, and spoke knowing she was making her sisters choice for her. But Akane always had been a little prudish, "Shampoo will have a fit when she sees you Akane. You going to wear it?"

Any doubt in Akane's mind fled as she glanced at the door Shampoo had left through, her lips in a predatory smile, "Oh yes, this is great. Ranma, would you like to do some light sparing? Make sure we can fight in these?"

With a sharp nod, Ranma followed her out.

"Don't get those outfits dirty you two." Nodoka called after them.

* * *

The middle sister looked over at the clock, which said that it was nearly midnight. Nabiki was sharing the guest room with Akane, while Kasumi was downstairs in Auntie's room. She smiled as her sister described the events from the massage Shampoo had interrupted weeks before. She couldn't remember the last time she had had a long gossip talk with her baby sister, it was actually a lot of fun. Though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear any more about something Ranma did again. Her sister was going to have a fit when she found out Ranma was her fiancé, but she had given her word to Aunty she wouldn't let spill just yet. But nothing in that oath said she couldn't have a little fun.

"... then Aunty explained how her husband had hidden condoms all through his room. I was so embarrassed about it all..."

"You were more embarrassed that you had jumped to the conclusion that he wanted to sleep with you, than that he saw you in just panties? Akane the pervert hater letting a boy put his hands on her and see her near naked, what would Kuno say?"

Akane blushed, "It wasn't... I didn't... Ranma's been a complete gentleman about that. He had the perfect opportunity to have a look and he quickly covered his eyes. I can trust him, unlike Kuno." That last word was said with feeling.

Grinning, Nabiki leaned in. "Yes, Kasumi said she found the two of you sharing a bath the morning after you got here." The middle Tendo kept her voice light, so as to encourage Akane to continue with her confidences.

"It was an accident, the towels just fell as Kasumi looked in. And Ranma immediately covered his eyes." Akane defended, blushing more.

Inwardly, Nabiki was relieved to know that Ranma wasn't being perverted around her sister. She and Kasumi had begun to wonder if their sister would ever feel comfortable around boys, what with all the daily stress Akane had had to face at school and the demolishing of the Hentai Horde. It would have been just too much had Ranma proven himself to be as much of a pervert as any of the others who had been after Akane, although his efforts at watching her today, and her acceptance had been very telling of their attraction. Nabiki's eyes flashed, hiding her inner thoughts as she gently replied, "Oh, I'm sure it was just an accident. But I want to know what our dear sister simply blushed at when I asked?"

Akane looked at her sister quizzically, trying to figure out where she was going with this.

Grinning, Nabiki shifted her knees closer to her sister, "Just as he got a look at you, you got a look at...?"

Reaching a new high level of blush, Akane shook her head. "No, Nabiki. Forget it. I'm not going there. No way."

Nabiki pouted, "Come on Sis, share?"

"Nabiki, no. I can't."

The older sister grinned as her sister's eyes unfocused, seeing something in her mind's eye, still blushing. "Okay, Akane. I'll just have to ask him about it in the morning." That comment was made with a determined smirk. Nabiki knew exactly which buttons to push on her sister.

"Don't you dare."

"Why not Sis? It's only fair that if the other Tendo sisters have seen it, all of us should…" Nabiki giggled at Akane

"Nabiki, don't you dare."

"Okay, okay. You know, with how defensive you are of him, I'd have to wonder if you two decided that Ranma's promise not to be intimate with girls doesn't apply to non-fiancées?" It was fun being able to tease Akane about a boy, and especially a cute well-built boy like Ranma. It was even funnier considering the fact that the two still didn't know that they were actually engaged to each other.

Akane blushed more at the thought before grabbing her pillow and stammering heated denials punctuated with pillow blows.

Eventually the pillow fight wound down, Nabiki succumbing to a vicious tickle attack till she agreed to a smug Akane that she wouldn't ask. Quickly coming up with another plan and getting to her feet, Nabiki put on her bathrobe over her pink silk pajamas and walked to the door. Opening it, she looked back when Akane asked her what she was doing, "I'm just getting a drink of water. Kitchen's in the next room right?"

Without waiting for the answer, she grinned like the Cheshire cat and closed the door.

Akane looked at the door for a few seconds before it all clicked. The kitchen was downstairs, the next room was Ranma's!

Yanking the door open hard, Akane rushed out into the hall, her yellow pajamas making a 'wisp' with each step she took. Seeing that Ranma's door was open, she looked into the room dimly lit with light from outside the window and saw Nabiki already within, beside the bed, looking back at her with a finger on her lips, the other hand gently drawing back the covers from the sleeping boy.

Stepping lightly but hastily, Akane crossed to grab Nabiki's arm, just as it dragged the covers down exposing Ranma's chest, clad in his black singlet, lying on his side. Akane's voice was a harsh whisper, "Nabiki, stop i..."

Both girls froze as Ranma grumbled something and turned to lie on his back. The two girls just watched him for a few moments, not breathing, waiting for him to wake up to find them in here. Slowly the two exhaled as they realized he was still asleep.

"Come on, Nabiki." Akane whispered as she began to drag her sister out of the room.

Nabiki tried to shake off the grip of her stronger sister before she set her feet and whispered back, "Let me go or I'll scream."

"You won't."

"Will! And I'll tell him you dragged me in here."

Akane flushed red, knowing her sister's talent for twisting a situation. "Don't you dare."

The taller girl's eyes looked over at the sleeping boy, still lying on his back with his face up, before looking back at her sister with a smirk. "I'm looking, Sis."

"No way, I can't let you do that, Nabiki."

Nabiki eyed her sister for a long moment, "Okay, I won't look... if you kiss him."

"What?"

Both girls froze and looked at the bed, but both sighed when the boy in there was still not reacting to Akane's loud whisper.

"Either you kiss him or I look. He's facing up, you just have to lean over and kiss him. He won't even wake up." Nabiki whispering back.

Akane looked at Ranma's lips for a few seconds before slowly shaking her head. "No. Nabiki, he'd wake up."

Nabiki broke her sister's weakened grip on her hands, "Then I get to look."

"No."

"Then kiss him."

Akane winced, completely torn on the two options being given. One completely unacceptable and the other... He'd wake up, she was sure of it. She gave a sigh and stepped past her sister. "Okay Sis, you win."

Stepping up she looked down at the handsome martial artist as he slept, his head facing straight up. As she leant down, part of her mind ran through how the hell she was going to explain this to him when he woke up, but she kept on leaning down, driven by the lack of choice from Nabiki's demand, and the small piece of her mind that wanted to do this.

She stopped a scant inch from his lips, his exhale brushing over her lips, triggering a shiver down her spine. Her mind whirled with fears, of him waking, of one or even all of the fiancées bursting in, of Aunty or even her Father suddenly walking by... but none of those things were happening. As she closed the distance, she was shocked at the feel of hands on her hip. Her eyes widened in fear as she was pulled over her sister's leg, tripping her down on Ranma's low bed.

Akane heard Nabiki give a giggling squeal of mirth as she dashed from Ranma's bedroom, but her mind locked up as she saw Ranma move below her. His arms flashed quickly to grab her, before softening to cradle her body as he rolled the pair of them. Akane's motion stopped with a thump as rather than landing on Ranma, he brought her down on the other side of the bed to him, holding her facing him, her legs draped over his.

Still in the hall waiting for Ranma's questions and her sister's excuses, Nabiki frowned when nothing was happening. Peeking in she saw Akane, whose red face obvious even in the dark was looking straight at Ranma's face, which was away from her so she couldn't see his reaction. Realizing that the pose the two were making was an opportunity too good to miss, she darted back to Akane's room.

Akane looked in horror at Ranma. Her face felt like it was on fire she was so embarrassed, and this wasn't helped by the warmth from his body, as she lay on and was held against him. Her mouth worked several times trying to come up with any explanation for why she was in his bed, but locked open when Ranma murmured something. She tried to come up with a reasonable answer to his question but then realized she hadn't heard him properly to answer him.

"Ah, Ranma? Can you say that again? I couldn't hear it?" she said gently, unnerved that he hadn't opened his eyes yet.

"...smell nice, Akane." He murmured, a slight smile on his face as he moved his head against his pillow.

Her eyes opened wider in wonder as she realized he was still mainly asleep. 'Thank the Kami!' Slowly she began to get up, gently picking up his hand from her and laying it back on his hip. Leaning up, she was about to try and climb free when he rolled back onto his back under her, stopping her while she prayed he didn't wake.

"...you, Akane-chan."

Akane stopped still, her eyes wide as she watched him below her, his lips smiling. What had he said? Slowly she bent down, nearly lying on him, and whispered. "What was that, Ranma?"

He smiled wider in his dream and mumbled some more. His chin rose and his lips pursed up towards Akane.

She had no idea what to do, her emotions churning. Did he dream of kissing her? What had he said in the dream? He called me Akane-chan... Even as her emotions and thoughts stormed inside, her own lips pursed as if to kiss him.

-Click-

-Flash-

Looking over in horror she, made out her sister Nabiki was holding something in front of her face when a second flash went off nearly blinding her. Jolting into action she rose to get her sister but her foot slipped on the bed sheet and she fell heavily on Ranma below her. She looked at him in horror as again his arms encircled her, holding her against his warm body again and rolling them onto their side.

Akane was looking at Ranma's face now, her back to Nabiki from this side of the bed, amazed as he continued to mumble lightly, his eyes closed. Yet another flash behind her reminded her of the other problem in this predicament, and she began to try and twist in his arms, trying to gently get herself out of his grip without waking the slumbering boy.

Nabiki smiled and held the button on the camera, the flash pounding light into the room as more photos were taken of the hapless girl struggling in the sleeping boys arms. She whispered to her sister, her amusement obvious, "Oh Akane, work it baby. You are such a bad girl." She almost cried out with mirth as in shifting around in Ranma's arms, one of Ranma's hands moved again, holding her chest, the flash capturing Akane's wide eyes.

Akane felt the grip change, firmly holding her breast as the flash went off again, and heard his murmured words, "Your so soft, Akane-chan." Akane's face was blank for several moments before her face went bright red, from both anger and embarrassment and she turned on the obviously awake pervert.

Seeing her model turn angry, Nabiki darted out of the room, intent on hiding the film before her sister could hurt her sleeping partner, free herself, and catch up. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get to use this film but it would be good for a laugh later anyway.

Akane turned enough to look at Ranma with a glare and threw an elbow back at his face, sucking in breath to give him a piece of her mind. Her words stuck in her mouth as her quick elbow was blocked, Ranma suddenly turning right over in his sleep, his shoulder rising to knock her elbow high. Suddenly freed from his arms and pulling back from her missed strike, she found herself off balanced and gave an 'eep' as she fell from the bed with a heavy thump.

Anger still in control, Akane flipped to her feet and moved to punch him again, but stopped and looked at him. He wasn't giving off any battle aura. He was still asleep? How could anyone sleep through that? Finally her eyes softened and she reached down and brought his blanket back over him.

Akane slipped silently out of Ranma's room, shutting the door. Out in the hall, her nightclothes straightened once again, she set off in search of her sister with a strong urge to stick that camera somewhere permanent.

Back in the darkness of Ranma's room, the pigtailed martial artist dreamt of a warm girl in his arms, a temperamental young woman with short black hair and dark brown eyes.

(To be continued)

The Nabiki entrance scene was reworked from the original scene notes of Tom Wrench. Also thanks to Sakurabana for her assistance in getting the girl talk to flow more fluidly.

Special thanks goes out to Sakurabana, Yukatado, Bessie Chow and Moon Klutz for assisting with the tournament outfits. Though I still have a need few more for various competitors.

Reviews, emails, ideas and recommendations are all very welcome.

Thank you for reading.

Trent O'Donoghue


	6. Chapter 6

Meeting Later 6

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. All spelling is in Australian.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favourite authors. Tom has given me the honour of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work. To view more of his work, which I personally recommend, his web site is .com/twrensch

Last Updated: 10/01/05

* * *

The train doors finally slid open, the other passengers jostling the young woman with short brown hair in their rush to get off. Eventually Nabiki was finally able to step onto the platform herself, quickly stepping aside and straightened her jacket, letting the main crowd of businessmen and students of the burgeoning evening peak pass her by. She had gotten the outfit only a month and a half ago and was very pleased with the fit of the woman's business suit. The blue grey material had strong lines in its formal cut while not hiding her blooming curves. Not that it accentuated or displayed them like some women's power suits did.

Moving out of the railway station, she mentally reviewed her day, going into the city under the pretext of investigating more on the Daiginkou Corporation by talking to a friend she had there. Truth was, she was there to hopefully be seen by their junior vice president. She was in the running for a college scholarship and following internship with the company. The friend she had was a previously successful intern she had managed to cultivate a friendship with.

She had gone in for this meeting and, in her opinion, made an excellent impression with the junior vice president when he had come past. And since the final decision on the scholarship was his...

It was far from over, as the final decision would include the results of the second semester finals at the end of the month, and of course the final interviews, but now she had put herself in his mind, not just another name on a piece of paper.

She had actually gotten far more than she had hoped for, she reflected as she patted the folder under her arm. Her friend had been -nice- enough to give her photocopies of the applications of some of her major competition. Just a glance showed her she had a difficult road ahead, but knowing she could top them bolstered her confidence on the matter. The scholarship was good money and the internship was excellent experience and big points on her CV.

She was only just leaving the station, a block or two from the Saotome household, when she was accosted.

-Glomp-

"Hi, you're cute, what's your name?" Came from the blue orbs staring right into Nabiki's brown eyes from but scant inches away.

Nabiki froze trying to work out what was going on, her mouth working but no words coming out. To make matters worse, the red haired attachment was a girl, and though she was short, the bust pushing into her own was not what one would call small.

"Come on cutie, wanna have some fun?" Between the huskiness in the red haired girl's voice, her warm breath on her face, the binding grip pressing their bodies together, and the handful of pedestrians looking at the pair, a scarlet blush bloomed on the face of the woman who worked hard to maintain her icy countenance.

Just as she began to push out of the python grip the girl had around her, she heard the familiar click of a camera and the beginnings of laughter. The red haired girl quickly unwound herself and tried to stay standing as she swayed with laughter, while now Nabiki could see her sister Akane laughing hard, yet still taking more photos of her with one of those small, throw away one use cameras. She noted the small shop behind Akane at the entrance to the railway station that had supplied the camera for this impromptu ambush.

Akane kept taking shots of her sister and laughing. "Busted Sis! Busted big time! I've never seen anyone blush that red, especially not you."

Nabiki quickly got herself under control and levelled a glare at her sister, pointing to the camera. "Give me that camera, Akane." Silently, she was rather impressed that her sister had got her one like this, but she wasn't about to let her know that or let it lie as is.

Akane just shook her head and teasingly held up the camera.

Nabiki stepped forward and crossed her arms, trying to project her power in the situation. "Akane, either you can give me that camera or I can give Ranma the photo's from last ni..."

Akane was quick to interrupt her sister. "I'll trade the camera for that film."

Nabiki smirked and shook her head. "No chance, those shots are far worse than any of me just blushing, can you imagine how Ranma would react if he saw them? Or Kuno? Tell you what, you give me the camera and I'll bury them in my private collection. Otherwise, I may just have to put them up for sale?"

The blushing Akane was sorely tempted by the offer, her desire to have something over her sister the only thing holding her back. But just as she was about to relent, the camera was snatched from her grasp.

"I'll give ya the camera for a look at those photos." Ranma-chan cried. She had no clue what these photos were, but the way Akane was blushing at the mention of them, she really wanted to see them.

Akane lunged for the camera, calling the red head an idiot and a jerk, while demanding she to give it back, but the girl danced around her, still offering it to Nabiki.

Nabiki wasn't sure who this girl was but she couldn't just let anyone have those shots... well not till Akane and Ranma were engaged anyway. "Who are you anyway? Are you one of Ranma's other girls? The chef maybe?"

The two girls stopped fighting over the camera to look at Nabiki. Both blinked twice before looking at each other and burst out laughing again.

Nabiki finally recognised the blue eyes that were laughing up at her from the shorter of the two girls, "Ranma?" Her eyes bugged out, looking over the shorter girl. She was amazed at the difference to the boy form she knew, but was now able to see the resemblance there too, to his male form and especially to Aunty.

Ranma-chan slowed her laughing and nodded. Seeing the girl looking her over with wide eyes, she posed, stretching her back to push her chest out and show off her form.

Nabiki blushed again that that body had been pressed against her, and was again caught by the camera's shutters in Ranma's hands.

"Gimme that damn camera!"

* * *

The next morning, Nabiki entered the dining room of the Saotome household surprisingly refreshed and awake after her bath. Not normally a morning person, even she was being caught up in the excitement of the tournament starting today and the vital energy that seemed to permeate the martial arts family household.

Looking at the room she saw the table had been set for five, but two were set slightly down from the other three. Kneeling before those two empty bowls were Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo.

Raised in a dojo, Nabiki had been around enough challenge fights to know the two were trying to psych each other out, both palpably radiating confidence. This must be for that breakfast battle they talked about yesterday...

"What's going on you two?"

Both glanced up at her before looking back at each other. Ranma began to explain without his gaze leaving Akane's.

"It's a breakfast battle," he explained. "For the title of Champion of Breakfast for the month. Akane won the last one, but today it's mine."

"You and what army, Ranma? I haven't begun to show you my full skill at this."

"Oh, I got ya number this time Akane, you're gonna lose today."

The one-upmanship was stopped by Nodoka and Kasumi entering with plates of food, "Ranma, watch your grammar please."

"Yes, Mom." He replied, losing some of his confidence in the staring match.

As Kasumi and Nodoka began to place out the dishes, a quarter between each of the competitors and the rest at their end of the table. Nabiki eyed the arrogant pair.

"So you're only vying for this title, huh? That's it? No side bets involved?"

Ranma glanced at Nabiki unsure what she meant, "Huh?"

"You are confident you'll win, aren't you?"

"I don't lose." His eyes flicked back to challenge Akane's.

Nabiki grinned at his overconfidence. "Okay, if you win, I'll give you a copy of those photos Akane doesn't want you or anyone else to see..."

"Nabiki, no! No way!"

Nabiki looked slyly at her sister's outburst. "Wow, I guess Ranma has you beat then. Good thing you stopped me from betting on you."

Akane fumed for a second, glaring at her sister. "Fine, bet away. I won't lose."

Nabiki just grinned and looked back at Ranma. "With a reaction like that Ranma, you know she doesn't want you to see those photos. So you up for a bet?"

Ranma eyed her suspiciously. "And what do you get if I lose? And that's a big if."

Nabiki's brown eyes sparkled in amusement, both at Ranma's attitude and at her control over the situation, "Well if it's so unlikely that I'll win, I better ask for something that I won't be too disappointed missing out on, ne?"

Nabiki let the silence hang for a moment to build up some suspense, and then let a wide grin break out on her face. "You know, Akane was saying she -really- likes your massages... So how about that then? One massage for each of us Tendo sisters?"

Akane and Ranma both blushed at their own experiences with Ranma giving Akane a massage, but Kasumi had a brighter blush at just being volunteered for one from the handsome young man. Nabiki ignored her older sister's reaction and watched the other two, her mind alternating between how cute and how sickening the two of them blushing together was.

Ranma shook himself and agreed, summoning his confidence that he was going to win today. "Deal!" he said loudly and reached for his chopsticks, wrapped carefully in a napkin.

Akane shook herself out of her blush at his movements and grabbed her on sticks and laying the napkin down again.

Nodoka looked between one and the other, amused by the antics. Lifting her napkin she held it aloft, "For the title of Champion of Breakfast for the month of November, are the competitors ready?"

Ranma and Akane both nodded their readiness and watched the napkin from the corner of their eyes as they still focused on each other. Both missed Nabiki's subtle signal to Kasumi because of it.

The napkin dropped and the chopsticks danced.

Back and forth arms flared and blurred. Ranma carefully guarded his mouth and plates while darting attacks into Akane's territory to block her eating, sometimes moving his food to her plates.

As the seconds passed he saw Akane's smile in between mouthfuls and realised he was going to lose again.

'NO!'

Reaching into her territory, he duelled viciously with her chopsticks, the last of her food, a pickle, dancing between them as he secretly shovelled half his rice into his mouth with his left hand. He almost missed it as he swallowed, Akane flicked the pickle up and darted her body forward to bite it out of the air.

Akane was the picture of smugness as she sat back and wiped her mouth demurely with her napkin.

Ranma looked down at the last of his rice and a fish sausage still on his plates. "How? Dammit, I know you didn't feed me that time!" He cried with disbelief, he knew he had had her this time.

Nodoka interrupted with a terse tone. "Ranma, language."

"Ack, sorry Mom."

Ranma almost missed it, the low sound of a suppressed belch. He looked in surprise at Kasumi who blushed realising she had been heard. Ranma ignored the blush as he saw Kasumi hadn't even touched her food yet.

"Hmmm, thanks for breakfast Akane." Nabiki said confirming his fear.

"A-a... Ohhhhh, no way!" he cried in disbelief before hanging his head. Looking up he glared at Akane. "That's it, next month, no one else is allowed in the room."

Akane's eyes sparkled as she looked back at him. "But for now...?"

"All hail Akane Tendo, the champion of breakfast, rah rah." He grumbled out.

Akane got up smiling and moved for the doorway, "Oh, don't worry Ranma. I'm sure some of the boys at the tournament will let you beat them."

Ranma looked up at her retreating form, his mouth working, desperately trying to find the right insult before he gave chase to say it to her face.

Nabiki, Kasumi, and Nodoka were left sitting at the table. All looked at each other before giggling and beginning to eat their food. As they finished the food off, they were forced to listen to cross-fired insults between two bedrooms up-stairs as Akane and Ranma got into their outfits for the tournament.

-qwerty-qwerty-

The short figure in black stepped silently along the wooden floor to the door, his keen hearing picking up the sounds of the man beyond preparing himself for battle.

Sliding open the thin door, he stepped into the huge training hall. He knelt and bowed to the occupant.

The brown haired man turned to the intruder, and snapped the last knot tight, binding his sheathed blade by his side. "Why does thou disturb me? Canst thou not feel the charge of glorious battle today? It may not be my steel that strikes today, but I must seek out a challenge for my greatness. For though it has been long without my love, the pure white tigress that she is, I must find those to whom I can prove my greatness too."

When Kuno paused for breath, Sasuke, his ninja manservant, quickly interrupted. It was a gamble he normally wouldn't take because of the threat of bodily harm, but information on his Master's love would override any anger at him. "I'm sorry Master Kuno, but Miss Nabiki Tendo is on the telephone. She wishes to discuss her sister's location."

"What?" Tatewaki Kuno's face smiled like a brilliant sunrise as he hurriedly crossed the distance to the diminutive ninja and snatched the cordless phone that was offered to him. Calming himself, he spoke loudly into the phone trying to mask his excitement.

"Greetings Nabiki Tendo. I'm told you have come to your senses about disclosing the location in which your sister has been no doubt forcibly held away from my embrace."

The voice on the other end of the phone dripped with sweetness. "Of course Kuno-baby, I'll even personally bring you to see her."

Kuno flushed with anger at being referred to as 'Kuno-baby' but it vanished at the hope of seeing his love so soon. "Where? Wherefore can I see my destined bride?"

"Now now, Kuno-baby, I'll call you tonight and tell you where to meet me tomorrow morning. Bye bye."

"I shall prepare myself to free my love from her confinement, so that she may have her dreams come true in another date, with me!" Kuno ranted before he realised Nabiki had already hung up. He brushed over his anger at her again. The woman constantly vexed him and disrespected his station. Her as a sister in law would most certainly be no end of suffering. The serpent in the Garden of Eden that his marriage would be.

"Sasuke!" he cried swinging back to face the Ninja who was only a few feet away. "I do not wish to be disturbed. I must meditate, and prepare for the coming morn. The joyful reunion of my love with my greatness!"

Sasuke turned to leave the Dojo, grumblingly thinking of all the preparations he had done to the Master's room, setting up the large screen television, various refreshments, and comfortable lounge, while leaving enough room for a few practice dummies for the master to practice his blade strikes and show himself how he would win the fights he watched.

"Sasuke!"

The diminutive ninja jump, fearing that he may have been caught mumbling by the master and turned to face him. Master Kuno was still standing the door way to the 'Meditation chamber', large pictures of Akane Tendo visible behind him on the walls, while he held a blue/black braided cord in his hand, a bit over a foot long.

"Sasuke, make sure you record today's tournament. I should like to watch it next weekend. "

"Yes Master Kuno."

The door slid shut and the ninja turned quickly, moving to leave the room before his master had some other request. Ever since the Wishbringer had made his master as powerful as his ego thought he was, he had found a distinct lack of joy in his job.

* * *

The back stage area of the athletics all was abuzz with activity as the first day of the tournament prepared to get under way.

Ranma and Akane stepped up to the near crowd of other competitors. Neither showed fear or concern in front of the others, just a quiet confidence to put the others off. Both knew they could take most of the crowd at once let alone the best of them in one on one matches. Akane blushed, realising some of the men here weren't looking at Ranma but at her, and the way their eyes were looking at her tight crimson silk shirt and black skirt, and the areas between suddenly reminded her what she was wearing and what it did and didn't cover.

Ref Eruu Hebner was a short balding man in the refs black and white shirt. An American Japanese, he was the head referee for the tournament, and it was said he came from a large family of referees, judges, and umpires. Standing over the crowd of about a third of the competitors, he was reciting the rules of the tournament before moving onto the instructions for the competitors while not fighting.

"When not fighting, all competitors are to make themselves available to the production crew, otherwise you are to remain here in the back stage area or in the change rooms. Any fighting back here and you are out of the tournament, no exceptions. Go and get ready, the producers will be making rounds to get everyone to walk through the arena as part of the opening for the cameras. Any questions?"

"Have the fights been set yet?" called one voice.

"Not yet, once you have all registered the computer will randomly allocate your opponents and the order of the fights. Today there will be three fights running at a time, while if you make it to tomorrow, it will be one at a time. Any other questions? Okay. Good luck to you all."

Ranma and Akane stepped away from the main group, looking around the back stage area, noting the many cables running around and the monitors set up currently showing the three rings in the main hall and many banks of bleacher style seating filling with a strong crowd.

"What a cute outfit, Akane-san. The Anything Goes School deciding to advertise itself with a uniform now?" came a voice straining with anger.

The two turned to see Ukyo glaring at them. She was not happy that they were wearing matching outfits of crimson silk shirts and black pants/skirt. The matching stylised stallions on the back really got under her skin, like Akane was claiming Ranma's name.

Ukyo was wearing her black tights but her normal cooking kimono jacket was now a tight blue shirt, glittering with sequins. Her bandolier was filled with her throwing spatulas, and her huge spatula was slung over her back, a coiling dragon emblazed on one side in red. Her hair was tied back in a tight braid, and her make-up, while light, included war markings on her cheeks in blue.

Behind her stood Konatsu and Junko, both looking fairly sheepish at their boss's anger. Konatsu's feminine face was exposed from his black ninja hood, the cloth covering that would conceal the Kunoichi's face hanging limp on his shoulder. Over a fairly gender neutral black ninja outfit, he wore one of Ukyo's deep blue tunics, a bit too large for his frame, and the arms were cut free of the body to make it more of a heavy vest. Beside him, the black haired Junko wore a tight black body suit with a green sash around her waist. Her black hair was tied up in an intricate loop behind her, and her blue eyes showed her obvious excitement at the day.

"Hey, Ucchan. That what ya fighting in? Looks good." Ranma smiled as he glanced over Ukyo's outfit and then looked at the other two. "You guys look good too. You guys ready to show 'em how good you are?"

"Apparently we're all vying for second place. People all seem to think you two have the number one slots already wrapped up." Ukyo snapped, her anger was fading but she wasn't about to forgive Akane, or Nodoka no doubt, for this little costume stunt.

Ranma, of course, missed the point. "You giving up already Ucchan? Damn, I figured at least you'd be able to give Akane some challenge?" he taunted.

Ukyo flushed, 'Did Ranchan just tell me he thinks I can beat Akane?' When she spoke, her voice showed her boosted confidence, "Oh no, Sugar. I think I'll make it difficult for Akane, I've still got my eye on being with -my- fiance on that ski trip." She eyed the girl in question, "But you better make sure Shampoo or Sakura don't win, no way do I want them alone with Ranchan."

"I have no intention of Ranma being trapped in the mountains with them either, Ukyo. But I'm not going to miss out on that trip for myself if it comes between the two of us. How about we just do our best and hopefully we'll be facing off for that resort in the final." Akane said with a challenging smile.

Before Ukyo could decide to be angry at Akane's words, Junko stepped in with her own. "That's assuming either of you can top me for it, I'm not going to roll over an play dead for either of you two, you know."

The three girls grinning at each other's bravado for their upcoming matches boosted Ranma's mood immensely. He was always worried about days were more than one of his fiancée's got together because it would take little to set them off to infighting, and Akane seemed to be a big catalyst for setting them off too. He didn't really mind the fighting, but it did get tiresome, and he especially hated seeing Ucchan so mad. But if she was going into this with a clear head, she'd have much better chances in the tournament and dealing with Sakura or Shampoo.

As if summoned by thinking her name, the group turned as Sakura's melodic voice interrupted them. "It is so wonderful that you are all so ready and eager for the tournament. Allow me to wish you all the very best of luck, and everyone remember to have fun." She was wearing the same tight leather bodice and skirt fighting outfit in the black and gold corporate colours that she wore when advertising her father's Sushi restaurant chain on TV. She had her hair done up in two long golden plats running down her back, and her ever tanned skin was gleaming with some kind of special make-up treatment.

Ukyo, Akane, and Junko all returned the same sweet as saccharine smile Sakura was giving them. "And the same to you Sakura, let us all do our best and no hard feelings afterwards, ne?" Ukyo replied with Junko and Akane nodding along.

Konatsu and Ranma just tried to stay invisible and out of the way as Sakura glared over her forced smile at the girls. Just as the silence became oppressive Sakura changed tacts. Stepping over to Ranma she grabbed onto his arm, pulling it against her chest. "Ranma dear, it's been so long since our last chat. And alas, we haven't the time to now either."

Turning, she gleefully absorbed the glares of her rival Ukyo and the tart Akane, and let it show in her smile. "Come girls, we have to line up to march through the arena as the opening to the tourney. As the highest-ranking competitors returning from last year, Ranma and I will be at the head of the line."

She looked at Akane, her smile like that of a shark. "Akane dear, since you are -such- a favourite today, the producers thought it would be best if you were right behind me in the second place of the women's column. Is that all right with you?"

Akane absorbed that with a bit of concern, not helped by Ranma and the others exchanging worried glances. Sakura must think that Akane would be an easy victory. If so, she'd better think again... "That's fine with me, Sakura. It's a wonderful opportunity for the Anything Goes School to be shown off like that." She replied with a bright smile.

Sakura's smile fell a little but she covered quickly by dragging at Ranma's arm to keep the group moving over to the forming lines of competitors.

* * *

Nodoka, Nabiki, and Kasumi slowly made there way in with the entering crowd, and down to the ground floor of the hall. The front row seats where much closer to the action here and had been given freely to many of the top competitors for their family and friends.

Nodoka looked around as she sat down. The three six sided rings where set up in a triangle formation, with a few meters to spare between them and before barricades marked the beginning of the seating areas surrounding the ring area. Several monitors had been hung from the ceiling and walls so it was easy to see all the action on any of the rings. The judges had several tables arranged inside the area, facing the rings, and a large ramp ran down from a back stage area, the only access to the rings without climbing a barricade. She knew that today they would run up to three matches at a time, but only one at a time for the live telecast competition of the finalists starting tomorrow.

"This is nice enough, though I think we might be a bit too close. Some of last year's competitors were thrown quite far from the ring at times... Though my son threw one over to hit that far wall so I guess this is as safe as any."

Nabiki and Kasumi both nodded with the woman, a little nervous at the prospect, but not enough to dampen their enthusiasm for seeing their sister in this competition.

"I wonder how Akane will do? She's very good but she hasn't been in a competition in such a long time, and none of those where anywhere near this scale." Kasumi asked.

Nabiki spoke while looking up towards the top of the ramp the competitors would enter back stage from. "I asked Ranma and he thinks she'll make the finals tomorrow, but he's more nervous about her being taken out by dirty tricks. From what I've heard, many people are betting in her favour."

Nodoka nodded with the girls, "She's been training a lot with Ranma, she'll give all the girls very stiff competition."

"In these fights or in the other 'competition'?" Nabiki asked in a teasing tone, referring to the future engagement. Before Nodoka could reply she saw what she was looking for. "Hey Sis, who's that at the top of the ramp?"

Kasumi and Nodoka looked up at the top of the ramp, just outside the curtains blocked off the back stage, where a tall man with dark hair stood in white shirt and pants, a set of glasses on his relatively young looking face, waving stiffly down at her. EMT was printed in bold letters on white armbands he wore.

Both Nabiki and Nodoka smiled and immediately looked towards Kasumi, both interested to see her reaction to seeing Doctor Tofu Ono again after so many months.

Kasumi had already stood and was waving back to the man, her eyes bright. She was blushing slightly at acting like this, but Sena's words of him really wanting to see her again, and her own desire to see him, had her very excited. She was starting to believe there maybe hope for a future with the good Doctor...

* * *

"You are so hopeless, big brother." Sena said as she struggled with Tofu's weight.

She was hiding herself as best as possible in the curtain while holding her brother up by his neck with one hand, the other waving his arm towards where she knew Kasumi, her sister, and Aunty Saotome were sitting.

"'Ready for this' my butt, brother." She complained to no one in particular. After working with him for the last few weeks, then for hours today, of course he faints at the first sight of the woman he was supposedly in love with.

Figuring that keeping on waving was getting inane, and her arms where really burning from the stress, she nodded his head and retreated back into the back stage area. Ignoring the looks from some of the stagehands, cameramen, and competitors, she dropped him like a sack, and broke a smelling salt packet, wafting it under his nose.

Tofu flinched from the smell, but then his eyes focused out again, filled with the vision of Kasumi out there.

"Is that embarrassment going to happen every time, Brother? If so, this isn't going to work."

Tofu flinched again, this time at the grilling from his little sister. "Uh... was it bad?"

Sena glared at him. "Almost, but you already owe me too much over this though, so we'll let this one pass. Come on, get up and dust yourself off. We are here to work, remember? But you better get yourself ready brother, because you -are- asking Kasumi out today!"

-Gulp-

* * *

The lights dimmed and the nearly full auditorium quietened for the start of the tournament. A fanfare of music, heavy on the guitar, was accompanied by multiple pyrotechnics and swaying spot lights, the effects impressing the crowd and being taped for the television audience. Two men sat in the centre of referees' tables, announcing for the televised event.

"Hello folks, I'm Jimmu Rassu, and welcome to the second annual Juban Open Martial Arts Tournament, with me is Juri 'The Shogun' Laluru."

"Thanks Jimmu. Wow, what an event this is turning out to be, and all of it brought to us by 'Shishimi Takeout, fighting the biggest hungers Japan wide'. And here we go, the sixty four competitors are coming out."

The spotlights centred on the top of the ramp, where the two columns of competitors made there way down to the ring floor.

"There at the front, we can see highest ranking champions of last year, Ranma Saotome, who came first, accompanied by his fiancée and last years second place winner for the woman's division, Ms Sakura Shishimi. The winner of last years women's title, Ranma's own sister Ranko Saotome, is apparently not returning to defend her title."

"That's right Jimmu, and what a shame, I know I was among many hopeful to see how much that young girl had grown since then, though there are certainly a lot of beautiful young women in this years event."

"I know a lot of the girls today are breathing a sigh of relief at not having to compete against Miss Saotome, but the Anything Goes Martial Arts School has sent in Miss Akane Tendo, there behind Miss Shishimi, and rumours are flying about her own victories over the male champion Ranma Saotome, and so we can expect to see a lot from that young woman over the next two days."

"With that outfit she's showing off a fair bit right now, I'm not sure we can televise it if she shows off any more." Juri's voice rose enthusiastically at the prospect.

The two quickly degenerated into talking about the other competitors, or mainly the girls outfits from Juri, as the camera's focused on each of them, the two lines of competitors weaving around the rings before heading back up the ramp.

* * *

Nabiki watched in amusement as Nodoka smiled brightly, returning her sons wave, the smile stiffening as Sakura waved, relaxing and brightening for Akane, then stiff again for Ukyo and Shampoo, relaxing again for other competitors like Konatsu and Junko.

At the back of the line, the male competitor was a heavy built man, wearing a black cowl to hide his face. He obviously focused on Nodoka for a moment but didn't move to wave or the like.

"Do you know that one, Aunty? The one in black?" Nabiki asked, a bit worried about that one.

Nodoka shook her head. "No, I don't think so..." Her voice trailed off as the boy began to walk the wrong way around the rings, a cord running from his wrist to the hand of the boy in front of him went taunt, tugging him on behind the line. "Oh, sorry, I do know that boy."

Nabiki and Kasumi both heard the tightness in Auntie's voice as she glared at the boy's back.

"That's one of Ranma's childhood friends, Ryoga Hibiki. Though the boy has done all he could to keep them from being friends again."

Both girls could tell that there was a lot more story there, but neither wanted to anger the woman by digging. "So what's with his 'man in black' routine?" Nabiki finally asked.

Nodoka shook her head, "He's probably hiding from Sakura and Ukyo. Neither girl has forgiven him, not that I think they should mind you."

"Oh, what did he do to them?" Kasumi asked.

"Well, with Sakura, he was fighting with Ranma and challenged my son about his manliness, especially regarding treating women right. My son finds anything about his manliness a touchy subject, which is understandable with his curse, and so accepted. Sakura had overheard the challenge and quickly twisted it to her favour. She set this challenge, as each boy would go on a date with her, a proper romantic date, and she would judge the manliest. She went on this date with Ryoga first, hoping to be able to force Ranma on certain issues by claiming Ryoga at least tried for such things."

She noted Kasumi's blush and Nabiki's nod before continuing. "But Ryoga has an unnaturally bad sense for directions, and failed to show up for two whole days, then when they finally began the date, he got her lost in the wilderness for another two days. So intent was Sakura on getting her way with Ranma, when Ryoga finally managed to lead her back to civilisation, she dragged him to her home so she could clean up and continue the date from the 'safety' of her home. But unfortunately for Sakura, Ryoga got lost again in her house, this time ending up in the furo as she was using it. He claims it was an accident, but I'm only inclined to believe him because I doubt he could find the bathroom to peep on her if he actually wanted too."

"Oh my," Kasumi murmured at the thought.

Nodoka nodded, her eyes hard, "And lets just say the situation with Ukyo is one that he is lucky to have survived."

Kasumi's eyes widened in surprise, wondering how much worse he could have been. She quickly let her imaginings go, her eyes were drawn to the large electronic signboard that would be showing the results of fights and the competitors involved. Akane Tendo was listed for the next fight in ring number three. "Oh look, Akane is up in one of the first fights. Nabiki, Akane's opponent, doesn't that name sound familiar?"

"It should be, remember what happened with Akane's first kiss?"

* * *

Akane had little time once she got back stage, a headset wearing stage hand grabbing her arm and directing her over behind two guys, queued over to one side of the curtained off ramp. "You're the first for ring three, we're just trying to find your opponent."

Across the other side of the ramp top, still on this side of the curtain, stood another boy, and she quickly noted the glares passing between him and the boy in front of her. 'They must be in ring two.'

She glanced back into the main area of back stage and saw Ranma and several of the others. Ranma gave her a 'thumbs up' from there.

She smiled and waved back, before turning back and focusing herself for what was ahead. It unnerved her that looking at or even thinking about Ranma was disrupting her focus more and more since she met him. Shaking her head, she calmed herself down. If she was going out in front of the crowd to show off her fighting skills, she needed to be centred. No way was she going to disgrace her school by losing on the first round.

The man in the head phones came rushing back dragging another boy over to the other side. He yelled into the headset microphone as he did, "I wouldn't care if she flew away from you, find her, or lose your job."

His attention turned back to the competitors assembled here, "All right, you lot are up first, when I tap you on shoulder head out into the ramp, stop at the top and wave to the crowd, then proceed down the ramp to your ring. Then wait for the ref to start you, if you trip or fall, just keep going, the show must go on. Any questions?"

One of the boys raised his hand but a heavy guitar rift began and the producer looked towards the curtain ignoring him. "Okay GO!"

Akane saw his panicked face before he passed through the curtain, and quickly stilled her own shaking at this. She had to get a handle on herself.

A few moments later a different riff began to play, slightly lighter in feeling, and the other competitor for ring one was sent through. All too soon, all the boys had been sent through, though her opposition hadn't shown up yet. The man in charge of sending them out was all but screaming into his mike when he suddenly brightened. "Well tell her to put it back and get out here or she's out of the competition!" he cried. He reached over and pushed Akane towards the curtain.

Akane wasn't really sure what to expect as she stepped through the curtain, the spotlights where almost a given but she almost faltered as the speakers blared a dark, ominous music, very different and distinct compared with the minor variations of the tournament music.

It suddenly occurred to her that it was the type and feel of the music used for villains in movies. 'Sakura's making me out to be the villain!' she thought suddenly, wondering how all these people would take it.

'... the show must go on...'

The words came back to her, and she grinned darkly, standing tall and waving to the crowd as she moved down the ramp. 'Okay Sakura, you want a villain, I'll give you one!'

* * *

"Miss Akane Tendo, age eighteen and currently a student of Bokuto High School. The heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, she only recently came to the Juban ward of Tokyo, and is listed here to enjoy drama and sports." Jimmu said, describing Akane as she walked down the ramp.

"And the best part is Jimmu, she's single! Woohoo!"

"I think you're a little to old for her Shogun," Jimmu said in a near tired voice.

A new and lighter version of the generic music began to play and at the top of the ramp a beautiful blonde girl appeared, her short height overlooked by the roller blades she wore. She wore a body suit of gold, trimmed in pink, as she spun around posing like a model for the crowd and cameras. As she turned around the crowd to could how her back was completely exposed, getting a rise in cheers from many of the males in the audience.

"And Miss Tendo's opponent in round one is Miss Azusa Shiratori, former member of the famous Golden Pair of Martial Arts Ice Skating, this is Miss Shiratori's first year in the Juban Tournament."

"But Jimmu, I have it on good authority that it isn't her first fight with Akane Tendo."

"What's that Shogun?"

"Apparently these two faced off over a year ago on the ice in pairs Martial Arts Ice Skating. Akane Tendo and her partner were declared the winner, but it's said there is doubts on who would win out of these two, because it was Mikado Sanzenin, the other half of the Golden Pair, who took out his partner Azusa. That fight was rumoured to be the event that broke the Golden Pair up, with Mikado moving on with a new skating partner in the very successful team of 'Black Gold'. This is certainly shaping up to be the fight to watch straight off the mark!"

* * *

Akane resisted the urge to rub her eyes, surprised at seeing Azusa here. The two of them had failed to get on from the first moment they met, and it wasn't like she'd forget what had happened the last time they had fought, over a year ago.

She had been out shopping with her sisters when she had first met Azusa, trying to take a toy from a child. The sight of the little boy holding desperately onto the stuffed rabbit, as the girl cried out about it being 'Charlotte', had really angered her and she immediately forced her way in to break them up.

Azusa had been screaming at her about stealing her 'Charlotte' while she kept trying to get around her to the little boy and his mother. Suddenly this handsome boy, Mikado Sanzenin, had shown up and calmed Azusa down. Akane had turned to see if the little boy was okay, and when she turned back, Mikado hugged her and tried to kiss her. Akane had just reacted and kneed the boy in the crotch.

Then suddenly Kuno had shown up and broke in, acting like he was her boyfriend and challenging Mikado to a fight. It degenerated from there becoming a pairs martial arts ice skating fight. Kuno had of course used it as an excuse to hang around her more to 'train', though dodging his hands while on the ice had given her excellent balance on the skates.

It wasn't till the fight had started that she found out Kuno and Mikado had made a bet that the winner would kiss her on the lips. It certainly didn't help her side when she punched Kuno for it. The fight had actually lasted a while before Akane had nearly taken a fall and Mikado caught her. She was caught off this time as he claimed the prize early. It was her first true kiss.

Kuno had gone ballistic, skating like a mad man and hacking away with his bokken. He had even started carving up chunks of the ice rink, before Mikado locked him in his dreaded Dance of Death Technique. Akane had been distracted from beating Mikado herself by Azusa when the dance had started, and in a move she didn't regret she had managed to grab the annoying smaller girl, flinging her into the men, causing Mikado to knock his partner out as well as hers. The moment Mikado had came out of the dance, letting Azusa and Kuno slump to the floor, she had pummelled him into unconsciousness, clinching the victory. And of course, Mikado hadn't been willing to leave it at that afterwards...

Akane's focus came back to the now as her opponent skated down the ramp and flipped into the ring with accomplished ease. Her eyes flowed over that blonde girl as she skated around her in the ring like a circling shark. Azusa had certainly matured over the last year, but by the look of that outfit she was still a ditz.

"Azusa has been waiting for a long time to get back at you for what you did." she said glaring at Akane.

Akane looked right back into her eyes coldly. "You'd better have gotten a lot better if you want any revenge, Azusa. You didn't even make me break a sweat back on the ice."

Both girls glanced towards Ref Hebner standing in the bank of judge's tables in the middle. They acknowledge when he called out if they were ready, Akane taking a ready stance, and waited for his whistle.

The shrill sound echoed around the hall and all three fights commenced.

Azusa shot to the right, quickly building speed around the edge of the ring and spoiling Akane's stance as she turned to watch her. It took six revolutions around Akane before Azusa made her move.

The widening of the blonde girl's grin was all the warning Akane had as the girl charged her, but it was enough to duck under a spinning heel kick and block two follow up punches before the skater moved on and bounced off the ropes to go back into her circling pattern. This marked the same pattern of the first few engagements between the pair.

As Azusa came in again, Akane lashed out with quick punches to her chest, but caught only empty air as Azusa reversed momentum, swinging around and down very low, a knifing kick hooking behind Akane's knees, dropping her on her back. A cheer rose from the crowd.

Azusa scooted across into the ropes, springing back fiercely and jumping to double kick the downed girl before Akane could rise, but was caught as Akane grabbed her feet and flicked the shorter girl up.

Akane rolled to her feet, trying to retake her breath as she saw her flick at sent the blonde girl into the ropes, but she rebounded to the side and again circled her in the ring, gaining speed.

Akane set herself for the next charge from the girl, and didn't have to wait long before she rolled within arms reach again. Her attack quickly became defence as Azusa cried out "Shiryou no Bon Odori!" The girl shifted all her speed into a spin, lashing out with lightning quick kicks, knees, elbows, and punches. It wasn't quite the same or as powerful as Mikado's true 'Dance of Death' but Akane quickly back peddled while blocking to prevent from being drawn into the spinning move.

Azusa grinned when she failed to draw Akane in, shifting all the momentum back from the spin she shot out of the dance, fist first at Akane. "Jinsoku na uchi!"

Many would have laughed at Azusa's 'Speedy Punch', but for the resounding -Crack!- as it connected with Akane's jaw quickly silenced them. The dark haired girl was flung back against a ring juncture, but the ropes kept her inside the ring.

Akane's head swam and she shook it violently trying to clear the ringing, before forced to leap away from another attack. She rolled again to her feet and focused on the girl, rubbing her jaw. That had hurt!

"That was pretty fast Azusa, but how about I show you some speed!" she cried, charging the blonde while cocking her arm back.

* * *

The shrill sound echoed around the hall and all three fights commenced.

Back stage, Ranma was intently watching only one of the monitors in various banks around the area. He had been quite surprised by the announcer talking about Akane and this Azusa chick having fought before. He'd have to ask Akane about it later. He watched intently as the skater circled Akane before charging her.

"I'd expect you'd be watching your division for your opponents Son-in-law, or will 'Ranko' be making an appearance today?"

Ranma glanced to the side to look at the withered old crone balancing on a stick. His reply was cut off by a chuckle. The old woman was wearing what amounted to a tiny nurses outfit with an EMT armband on.

"What's with the outfit old ghoul? You trying to sneak in undercover?" He ducked a half-hearted swing of her stick.

"Show some respect, Son in law. Young Tofu wanted some extra expertise on hand since he's in charge of the EMTs today." She waved at the monitor. "This the young husband stealer staying with you?" She grinned as he bristled.

"Akane ain't no husband stealer, and I ain't no husband to be stolen." He said hotly, but quickly calmed as people looked over at them. "She's just my student and I want to see how she's doin'."

Cologne didn't look at him but watched the monitor to compare this girl's and Ranma's styles. The two watched as Azusa tried the 'Dance of death' and then followed up with the 'Turbo punch'. "Your student could use some more lessons, if that's all she's got." She said with a toothy grin.

Ranma's focus was on the fight, willing her back to her feet. He relaxed some as she got up and grinned back at Cologne. "Not too many more, she's a fast learner."

Cologne eyed the boy but her attention shot back to the monitor with Akane's attack.

"KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"

The pair watched as Akane's hand blurred with speed, pummelling the blonde girl back and down.

Cologne turned and glared at Ranma, she obviously wasn't happy about this, and that wasn't helped by the smug grin on Ranma's face.

Ranma's face cracked up with laughter a second later. "I knew I had to see your face when she brought that out. Caught me right off guard when she used it on me in sparring, I still got some of the bruises." He idly gestured down at the left side of his chest as the two watched Akane pin and hold the girl down while the judges outside counted her out for the first fall.

"Apparently the old letch likes Akane and has been training her. I know he was bugging Pops for techniques a while back, but I thought he was teaching them to Ryoga to beat me up. I figure Pops told him how you trained me, and then taught her."

Cologne nodded for a moment then looked at the girl on the monitor, as Akane got ready for another round with the skater. "So this is Happi's student."

"Huh? Did the old perv tell you 'bout her?"

"Happi once told me he had a student who could take my Shampoo 'without breaking a sweat'. I always figured it was some of his usual bluster, but now... Be careful you don't show her your full strength Ranma. I doubt Happi would only train her to beat my great grand daughter."

"I haven't even shown -you- my best, old ghoul."

Cologne didn't need to swing at him for his cocky reply. She could tell by his tone he wasn't brushing off her warning without thought. She eyed him carefully, imagining she could hear the cogs working in his head.

Ranma eyed the screen as Akane pressed against her opponent, not letting the blonde get away to gather any speed. He very much doubted Akane was out to defeat him... but he certainly wouldn't put it past the old letch to twist anything he could to use against him.

* * *

Sena opened the small fridge in the girls change rooms, picking out an icepack. Wrapping the pack in a cloth towel, she placed it in Akane's hand, re-positioning her arm to hold it against her jaw.

"I'm surprised she didn't break your jaw Akane, we heard that connect all the way out here. It's going to bruise still, but a bit of make-up should cover it up."

Akane's eyes flicked from the monitor to Sena, as she gave a shrug. "I've had worse. If I can't take it, I shouldn't be here. In a way, this is good, with the way Ranma goes easy on me in sparing, I was beginning to go soft again."

"That's not surprising. The few times I've heard of Ranma having to fight a girl, things have gotten worse for him for it. Such as with Shampoo and her tribal laws."

"Maybe..."

"In a way it's kind of cute." Sena's voice dropped to a conspiratory whisper. "Maybe not as cute as that tush of his..."

Sena smiled as the girl giggled, her face reddening slightly. The smile grew as Akane's eyes locked back to on monitor, where Ranma fought one of the instructors from a local dojo. 'Looks like Aunty Nodoka had these too coming together nicely, if only her brother and Kasumi would be so easy.' Her smile faded as Akane frowned.

"What is it?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just Ranma. He's leading the fight but not going for the win, he's making the other guy look good."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Nothing wrong... but it's like's he showing off. It's wasting time and making the school not look as strong. It's like when we're sparring and he holds back. He's not respecting us."

Sena looked at the screen. "I'm sure he's not meaning it as disrespect. It's just Ranma's way, like with the not hitting girls with full strength. Maybe you should talk to him about it later. Ask him why he does it?"

The shorter girl nodded slowly, the ice bag still held against her face.

"Actually Akane, while I've got you here, can I ask a favour?"

Akane turned from the screen. "Sure."

"Do you think you can go give my brother some support, he's working himself up over asking Kasumi out today. He's very pathetic like that."

"Sure I will. Thought it's not like she's going to say no to him." Akane returned with a grin.

"Thanks Akane." she replied, patting the younger woman on the shoulder. "Any other aches and pains? I better make it look like I'm working."

"No, that was it. Thanks for this."

Akane watched the monitor as Sena left, Ranma rolled up his opponent to pin him for the first fall.

"How face Husband Thief? You not claim too hurt to fight? You no run away?"

Akane turned slowly towards the annoying Chinese voice.

"I'll be here till the finals Shampoo, you can bet on it."

Shampoo's eyes stayed on Akane's, her thoughts churning.

"Shampoo hope meet Akane in final fight. TV men want Shampoo there. Shampoo very popular. Much more popular than flat-chested purple face girl."

Akane was up like a shot, and in Shampoo's face, though she was still standing a little shorter than the Amazon. The gasp from one of the other girls in the locker room made her remember the rule about no fighting just in time. She took a deep breath as she got herself to calm down. A dark grin spread over her face, made all the more evil by the growing bruise on her jaw.

"Well, while the producers sell tapes of you fighting in next to nothing," she gestured idly with her hand at Shampoo's 'outfit', "I'll have to consol myself with a nice long massage from your Airen."

Shampoo's face showed how her mood was plummeting.

"Airen no give husband thief no more massages. Airen massages for Shampoo only!"

"Unfortunately, 'Airen' lost a challenge, and now he -owes- me a massage. It's a matter of honour. But I'll tell you what, I won't have it after the fights tomorrow... I'll save it for this ski trip I'm winning tomorrow. Imagine it, a day of skiing, a soak in the hot springs, and then a nice, -long-, massage before bed. Now that is a prize worth fighting for, ne?"

Shampoo was almost shaking with fury now. "Husband thief warned, no touch Airen. Airen belong to Shampoo!"

"The hell he does bimbo. I have more rights to Ranchan than you'll ever have."

The pair turned towards Ukyo as she stormed into the change room, but before either could comment, the giant spatula was out and pointed at Akane. "And exactly how does Ranma owe you a massage?"

"Hey, it's not like it was my idea. Ranma bet with my sister that he could beat me in a challenge. His mistake."

Ukyo seemed to subdue slightly, but was still brandishing her weapon. "And why exactly did your sister bet to win a massage for you?"

Ukyo seemed to subdue slightly, but was still brandishing her weapon. "And why exactly did your sister bet to win a massage for you?"

"Well, not just for me, for all the Tendo sisters."

Ukyo and Shampoo began to fume again. "And how many damned sisters do you have?" Ukyo shouted.

"Only two!"

"Three too many," Shampoo spat. "Shampoo talk with Mother-in-Law, no massage!"

Akane suppressed a laugh. "Like she's gonna change things for you."

"Then Shampoo challenge, Shampoo beat Akane, Shampoo get massage."

Akane eyed the Amazon. "And what do I get when I win?"

"Ha! Shampoo no lose!"

Akane grinned darkly, recalling what Ranma had said about that Chinese guy with the nice hair. Many years with Nabiki for a sister had imprinted on her to see an opportunity and to take it. "Then if you lose, you have to go on a date with that Mousse guy!"

"Excuse me!" Ukyo cried, "The only person who should be getting a massage is Ranchan's true fiance, me!"

"Fine, Shampoo beat you both and have nice massage from Airen, then both you date stupid duck boy."

Akane looked confused at the term 'duck boy' but wasn't about to back down. "Deal."

Her brow creased with a mix of anger and uncertainty, Ukyo looked between the two girls. "Fine, but..."

"Wait!" Sakura was almost out of breath as she rushed into the girls change room. She'd make sure whoever had parked her private trailer so far from the building would pay dearly for it. If one of her boys hadn't been listening in on her rivals she might have not been able to stop this. She was the only one who deserved Ranma's warm hands on her body... "I'm sorry ladies, but I cannot allow my fiance to..."

"Shut up Sakura!" "Shhh Stupid Girl!" "Go away Sakura!"

Sakura's face showed her shock at the girls united rebuttal but the right words failed to come out as the three girls stormed past her and out of the change room.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Sensei?"

Desaku Misu's voice showed her nervousness as she looked for support from the master of the Asiko Dojo, as she stood on the opposite side of the door way to a back room, keeping a lookout for witnesses. If things went right there would be little sound to attract attention.

The grey haired master, Shinji Asiko, grunted. "Korai might be my number one student, but he lacks the confidence in himself to beat the Chinese boy. The blind foreigner should not even be considered a local, the producers only want him because he is a tough fighter. Korai has chosen this as the best way to eliminate his opponent."

"But if he is caught, it will reflect on the Dojo. Any fighting back here or taking advantage of an opponents Jusenkyo curse will disqualify Korai and dishon..."

Desaku's voice failed as she heard a splash of water followed by the quacking. The two waited as the duck squawked suddenly, but several sudden thumps against the wall urged them both to look inside the doorway.

A loud quacking from the duck standing in the doorway between them got both their attention, but before they could react the bird's wings spread, displaying an array of sharp knives.

The sight was more than intimidating enough to hold the two off and Mousse's continued loud quacking attracted the attention of some of the other competitors and officials including Ranma.

"Hey Mousse, what's up? Have an accident?" The pigtailed boy asked as he jogged closer to the situation. He doubted it was that with the threatening pose the duck had had, the wings going down, the blades sliding between the feathers, the duck apparently calmed by the arrival of friends.

Ranma glanced at Master Asiko and his student for a moment before striding between them into the back room. The Asiko Dojo would have considered the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts it's greatest enemy, had any of its members actually been even close to Ranma or Genma's league. After his arrival in Juban, Ranma had clashed several times with members of the Asiko Dojo, mainly with the, at the time, top student, Jiro Ohata. Master Asiko wasn't to likely to forgive Ranma for challenging and defeating his top students on multiple occasions, especially after Ohata and several other of his best students renounced the art.

Stepping through the doorway into the back room, he ignored the pile of Mousses robes, pants, and weapons left in a sodden pile on the floor, his eyes locking with amusement on the pale faced form of one of Asiko's students. His gi was cut open in a dozen places, yet still strong enough to hold his weight on the eight perfect knife shots pinning him to the wall. A metal bucket had rolled into the corner, a little water still left inside, the weapon of the failed surprise attack.

"Nice shots Mousse. You know, if ya had just done this to Shampoo before, you could 'ave been her Airen instead of me." He joked down at the duck who quacked back at him angrily.

He called to one of the stagehands as he picked up Mousse's damp and weapon filled robes, careful not to get any drops on himself, and began to exit with the duck waddling behind him.

From the doorway he saw Master Asiko talking with one of the producers in hushed tones, the men nodding together in agreement.

Breaking off from his chat with Asiko, the producer pulled up a handheld radio. "The situation is under control here. Just a little accident with the plumbing. Another issue, due to inappropriate behaviour, the Asiko Dojo is pulling its student Korai Bosabosa out of the tournament. Make the announcement and give his opponent, Mouse, the bye."

A muffled reply came back.

"Yes the Chinese boy, I don't care how you say his name."

Ranma eyed Asiko coldly. It was all about saving face to the Dojo Master. Pulling his student out before he could be kicked out for fighting back stage and using an opponents curse against them would have him kicked out and dishonouring the Asiko Dojo.

Asiko eyed him back, before turning and walking away.

Shaking his head in disgust, Ranma did the same, hoping he'd get at least one of Asiko's students in a fight.

* * *

"And there she goes, Sakura's lightning style of chopsticks has secured an easy victory, her first for this tournament." Jimmu said into his mike over the cheering crowd.

Jiru's voice reflected as much enthusiasm as the crowd cheer, "Who would have thought such a beautiful young woman would have such talent with the martial arts? She can use chopsticks to grab someone's arm and just flip them from the ring. I mean, who else could do that? And she's so graceful. Boy, that Ranma Saotome is one lucky lucky young man to be engaged to a girl like Sakura."

Sakura finally finished bowing to her fans in the stands, before gracefully flipping down to the floor and starting up the ramp. Her fight was the last of the first round, halving the competition to sixteen competitors in each division. She was just reaching the top of the ramp, when the dark music she had arranged for Akane Tendo began to blare out for the first competitor of the second round.

"And there we have it people, the two favourite girls for this whole tournament, Sakura Shishimi and Akane Tendo. And though you can see on the monitor they're smiles of support for each other, their eyes show how much both wanted to be the victor. If these two do make it to the final, it will be one hellacious battle for the final prize."

"That's right Jimmu. And if that wasn't bad enough, the first prize is a ski trip up at the beautiful Koibito no Tansai Ski Lodge and Hot Springs, on Mitsupurezentou Mountain. No one in their right mind would want to miss out on that! But the same prize is for the male division, and with Ranma Saotome by far and away the favourite for the male division, both these girls, his Fiancée against his Student, are going to give their all for the victory and the prize."

The girls finally broke off their gazes and continued, Sakura out the back while Akane came down to the ring. The next music blared over the speakers was a simple guitar instrumental, but then worked in with an odd shifting tone, reminiscent of a police siren, as an attractive short haired brunet stepped through the curtain wearing a blue dyed martial arts gi.

"And Akane's opponent is Officer Natsumi Tsujimoto of the Tokyo Police force, Bokuto precinct. Miss Tsujimoto only came to the Bokuto precinct in the last few months, but is considered a rising star of the police force, as well as the Bokuto Station's best female jujitsu practitioner."

Shogun's voice was as cheerful as that. "Well of course she is doing well for the community Jimmu, what kind of criminal could resist her? If someone as beautiful as that asked me to get in the back of her car, I wouldn't care that it was a police car!"

"You better watch what you say there Shogun. I'm not driving you home tonight if your cars been impounded."

* * *

Akane's shoulders slumped a bit at having to fight a police officer. It felt wrong for starters, and she had a bad feeling this could come back to haunt her. She recalled Nabiki once talking about her dealings with the law. 'Don't cross the police unless you have to.'

The brown eyed brunet climbed through the ropes into the ring and smiled to the shorter girl, stepping lightly towards the centre of the ring and bowing to her.

Akane returned the bow, her eyes appraising her opponent for strengths and weakness. The woman had more power than her frame showed, but that wasn't unusual for many of the women in this tournament.

The two had to wait for several minutes while the fighters for the other two rings filed down and in, before the whistle shrilled and the fights commenced.

The two traded basic blows for several moments, slowly circling each other as they went. Moving in, Natsumi tried for a grab on the other girl's wrist, but it vanished quickly as Akane swung a swift spinning heel kick that glanced the brunet's side, strong enough to force her back.

Natsumi frowned. This girl was good.

Akane grinned. She had this woman's measure.

But as she moved in, Akane's foot came down on the mat and suddenly her momentum vanished. Any tension and support under her heel felt like it had vanished, and though it had only dropped an inch, it threw her clean off for several moments. Which was more than enough time for her opponent.

Before she new it Akane was knocked down, and held seated to the floor, her wrists held, pulling her arms straight out and pulled back by her opponent behind her.

Her body screaming with pain, Akane's feet slid on the mat trying to find purchase as she was held stretched out with a knee in her back. She recalled Ranma using this lock on her in sparing, but he hadn't stretched it this much.

Suppressing the pain, she tried to force her arms forward from the lock, knowing to fail was to have to tap out. And with her arms out to the sides, that would be hard.

* * *

Ranma watched back stage as Akane and Natsumi fought, hoping that Akane wouldn't embarrass the older woman. He had met Officer Tsujimoto and her partner many months before, when she had started investigating the identity of his 'sister', Ranko Saotome. He had spent nearly a month with her snooping around, often having to swap identities because he didn't want his curse revealed. She even convinced him to take her on as a student for a time, trying to figure out the true origine of the mysterious red head.

And after she did find out the truth... he gave a shudder at the recollections. He had no intention of riling her up again...

As long as Akane didn't humiliate her, things should be okay.

His thoughts came back into the now when he saw Akane's foot buckle on the screen, throwing her off and leaving her open to Natsumi. In just over a second, the older woman had her down and locked up.

The briefest smiled flashed over his face as he recalled teaching Natsumi that lock, though his smile faded and his eyes went wide as he recalled what Akane had done to break out of the same hold during sparring.

"Gently Akane," he whispered in vain as Akane folded at her hips, her bare legs seeming very long as they reached over her own head and locked around the police woman's neck.

He winced as he watched Natsumi pulled with the leverage of her own knee over Akane to be planted face first in the ring.

The exclamations from the announcers said it all as Akane rolled her over and up to let the referees count out the three for Akane's first pin on the woman. The repeated replays of the brutal looking manoeuvre went on despite there being two other fights going on.

Ranma watched as Natsumi stood shakily. Her face was okay, if obviously going to bruise a little, but she was no match for Akane like this.

Ranma's thoughts were interrupted, as he smelt the fragrance that he new all too well. It was Sakura's personal perfume brand, a scent of Sakura flowers with a light musk backing. Unfortunately for Sakura, now whenever he got a whiff of it, it just reminded him of just after they were officially engaged she brought out a matching scent for him. He had to admit he didn't mind the scent itself, but when it was even near anyone wearing Sakura's scent if brought him out in a hideous rash and fits of sneezing. He had almost lost a fight to Taro because of the damn sneezing...

"Ranma darling, I am most displeased with you."

Ranma looked at her, pleasantly surprise. It wasn't often that she didn't move to touch him immediately. "Oh? What's up Sakura?"

She immediately crossed the distance and took his hand in hers and held it to cleavage. She ignored his sigh of resignation as she looked into his eyes.

"You know perfectly well what's up. Why is it those other harpies you allow to hang around you are gambling around your favours like money, and her I am, your true fiancée, completely ignored when I refuse to allow it." She stamped her foot to make her point.

Pulling his hand free of her grip, Ranma's mind tried to make sense of what Sakura was saying, "What are you talking about Sakura?"

"I'm upset that you owe anybody massages Ranma, you know how jealous I am of every one of those old biddies Doctor Tofu has you massaging every week, but to be betting massages to that tramp Akane and her sisters... It hurts." Her eyes watered, right on cue. "And then to..."

"Hey, don't call Akane a tramp. And how did you hear about this anyway? You been listening in on my home again?" Ranma snapped back at her.

"Of course not," she denied a little to quickly, her eyes averting from his while she did. "That -Tramp- just bet your massage away to those other two harpies, using your honour like a game."

Ranma shook his head, his anger shifting gears from Sakura to other targets. "Wait a minute. Akane has made a bet with Shampoo and Ukyo over the massage I owe her?" he asked with disbelief.

"That is exactly what I'm saying Ranma dear. Now you can see why I simply must insist you put an end to this at once and inform them that that massage is only for me."

Ranma would have groaned but was too annoyed... and maybe even a little hurt. His eyes looked over to the screen watching as Akane held Natsumi down and was counted for a second fall to win her entrance to tomorrow's finals.

"Look Sakura, I'll talk to Akane, okay. No promises."

With that he walked off leaving her there with a smug look.

Though he had no intention of facing Akane right now.

* * *

Doctor Tofu looked out the curtain again at one particular face in the crowd. He softly sighed out her name wondering if she could possibly ever come to like him as much as he liked her.

His attention was drawn back by the heavy clunk of an over full sports bag on a table nearby.

Tofu glanced around and saw his sister Sena removing a multitude of blunt weapons from the bag.

"Um... Sena... What are they for?"

Sena smiled sweetly at her brother, but her eyes promised pain if he defied her. "These are in case you forget to ask Kasumi-chan out tomorrow night Brother dear. She -will- be coming back stage with Aunty Saotome after the final fight of the day. You -will- be asking her then, ne?"

Tofu looked at the weapons, knowing that Sena really would hurt him if he failed again. But it was the fear of being rejected because of the fool he became that was filling his heart.

* * *

"Where are you idiot?" Akane grumbled as she stalked around back stage. She couldn't find him anywhere and she had to talk to him about his next fight.

Her eyes brightened immediately as she saw him ahead, exiting the boys change room. Even if he didn't have the rearing black stallion on his back, or even the pigtail, she'd know those shoulders. Her eyes dipped lower and she grinned, 'and other aspects of him...'

"Ranma! How long have you been in there? I've been looking for you everywhere?" she demanded.

Ranma's blue eyes narrowed and he shifted to stand just slightly defensively to Akane as he turned around.

Akane stopped a few paces back from him. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

With the brown eyes across from him so full of concern, Ranma pulled back. He glanced away from her. He wanted to be angry with her. "Nothin, I'm fine."

Akane was having nothing of it. "Ranma, don't lie to me, what's wrong?"

Once again, he wouldn't look at her. "I said I'm fine."

"Ranma..."

"Saotome, your up in ring two. Move it." Called a stagehand rushing up with a clipboard and wearing a mike and headphone set.

"Gotta go Akane." Ranma said quickly, he moved to get straight past her. If he wasn't around her, he wouldn't have to answer her.

Akane fumed for a moment the remembered what she wanted to tell him. She rushed after him. "Ranma, this guy you're fighting, he's big but not too tough. Go for his kidneys, and look out for the signs, he uses them like a whip!"

* * *

Ranma exited the curtain onto the ramp with his own fanfare of music, obviously one the producers put more time into before hand to keep Sakura happy. That the trumpet heavy piece was distinctly close to Sakura's, though hers was more feminine, and certainly showed again how Sakura was using the show to declare him hers to the rest of the world.

Ranma waved to the crowd and even played it up some as he came down. His smile became forced at the sight of his opponent.

The guy was huge, more than twice his height. His head was completely hairless except for a thin moustache under his large eyes. He had a pudgy face and heavy hands, and wore a heavy off white martial arts gi with a simple black belt. At a glance he might be considered obese though Ranma could see his bulk hid massive natural power. Strung on ropes around his body were various Dojo signs, the mark of his lifestyle, a Dojo Destroyer, a martial artist who challenged Dojo's for their signs, taking the sign with it's honour after smashing it's best fighters. It was also his chosen weapon, if Akane's words of warning were to be believed.

Reaching the bottom of the ramp, he turned and bowed to his mother in the crowd, but in standing back up flipped himself high up over the ropes and into the ring.

The young man faced up at his huge opponent for several moments, appraising the monster while the competitors for ring three entered and assembled in the last ring.

He considered what Akane had said to tip him about beating this guy, but the moment his mind thought of Akane he lost his focus.

With a shake of his head, he put thoughts of her completely aside and prepared to fight.

* * *

Akane paced outside of the boy's change-room, waiting for Ranma to come out. She didn't know what was going on, but he was definitely avoiding her for some reason.

The moment he had come back from his fight with the Dojo Destroyer, he had avoided her and went into the change room. She only knew he was in there because Doctor Tofu had gone in to look at his hand.

Her anger mellowed somewhat with that, knowing that she had given him the bad suggestion on attacking the Dojo Destroyer's kidneys. But it had worked for her when he had challenged them for the Tendo Dojo sign. How was she supposed to have known that he had replaced all his signs with metal replicas and even had a couple inside his gi as body armour.

She winced as she recalled how the brief burst of Ranma's high speed punching into the sign had looked like he had broken his hand, especially with the way he held back with that arm after. Though the crowd had gone quiet when the big fighter had pulled the sign out from his clothes, a dirty great dent pushing into his side from Ranma's attack...

She let out a sigh, knowing she'd have to apologise for that bad tip... but that could wait till he apologised and explained about him avoiding her.

"Akane, is my brother in there?" Sena asked as she walked up. She was smiling, despite the effort of a hard days work showing in small ways on her face and uniform.

"Yes he is, he went to help Ranma."

Sena nodded as she came to a stop beside the short girl. "Congratulations on getting through to tomorrows finals."

"Thanks, hopefully I'll have it just as easy there too," she replied with a grin. "When is Kasumi coming back here?"

"That's why I'm looking for my Brother. The last fights on now and the moment it's over I'll go get Aunty and your sisters. Can I get you to watch Tofu till I bring them in? I'd rather he didn't dance off with his skeleton before we can have him ask her out."

Akane smiled and nodded in reply. "Happy to. To tell you a secret, I once had a major crush on him myself. I'm more than happy to have him end up as part of the family." A small blush crossed her face at admitting it.

Sena grinned and touched the younger girls shoulder. "I certainly have no reservations about a marriage their either, though lets not be getting too far ahead of ourselves."

The pair looked up as the future groom himself walked out of the change room. "Oh hello there, everything alright?"

"We're fine, how's Ranma?"

The Doctor smiled reassuringly. "His hand will be fine in a couple hours, he really wasn't prepared to be hitting something so hard. Other than that he seems perfectly fine. Are you two waiting for him?"

"Not him big brother..." Sena grinned at her brother, "We were just talking about Akane's sister."

Tofu paled slightly and gulped once. "S-so, how is Nabiki."

Sena shook her head but didn't lose her smile. "You can ask her yourself, she's coming out here with Kasumi just after the final fight."

Tofu's glasses fogged up for an instant before he physically straightened and controlled himself.

"Okay, I'm ready."

The words didn't come out nearly as strong as he hoped.

"How about you and Akane-chan wait in here while I get them, okay?"

Tofu nodded several times as he followed his sister into the first aid room set up for the weekend's events.

Two hospital beds, a small desk, and a large cabinet of medical supplies were the main furniture of the room, and Sena led the nervous doctor by the hand over to a chair beside one of the beds. Sitting him down, she brought his arm up to the bed.

Two mechanical -thunks- sounded in the room, the second far more metallic than the first, and Tofu stared with undisclosed horror at his arm handcuffed to the lowered side railing on the bed.

"What do you think your doing Sena?" he demanded as his sister darted back out of reach to the doorway.

"This way there is no walking off big brother. No being called away, no running in fear, and no dancing off with Betty Bones. I had to work on Kasumi for hours to give you another chance, so get ready to be polite and -sane- because you are asking her out, got it?"

Sena kept her angry voice on, knowing she was lying about having to work on Kasumi to give him another chance, but Tofu should be too preoccupied to spot the lie.

She tossed him a small towel from near the door. "Put this over the handcuffs. The last thing we need is for her to think you're any more weird." Turning, she left the room, shutting the door behind her. She didn't need to tell him where she was going.

* * *

Akane smiled in amusement from her seat on the second bed. Tofu had sat down and started taking deep purposeful breaths, building himself up the control for the ordeal ahead of him. That had lasted all of ten seconds, then he had been pacing on the very short leash that were the cuffs, raising the beds side rail vainly hoping that that would get him free.

Her amusement came out as a snort and a giggle when he subtly tried to undo the breaks on the wheels on his side of the hospital bed without her seeing, his brow sweating worse with every second.

He looked at her, his panic obvious, his eyes pleading. "Akane-chan, you have to help me. I know Sena thinks this is right but... it isn't the right time. Tomorrow! Tomorrow is much better."

Akane shook her head. "What's the problem, Doctor Tofu? You like her. She likes you. You just have to ask her out."

Tofu looked at the young woman, his mind suddenly flitting through memories of treating her injuries over the years as she grew up. The same memories flowed back through of how he had consistently embarrassed himself in front of her eldest sister, washing away his desire to believe her words. "I can't. I can't even say two decent sentences to her."

Akane came a little closer. "Then do it in one. The moment she walks in, say 'Hi Kasumi, you look beautiful today, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?' You try?"

Tofu took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "H-hi K-ka-ka-kasumi, you look beautiful today, would you like to go to out with m-m-m-m-m..."

Akane's voice sounded exasperated. "Okay, too long, try it without the beautiful bit."

"H-hi Ka-ka-kasumi, would you like to go ou-out with me tom-m-morrow nnnnight?"

"Again, without stuttering."

"Hi Kasumi, would you like to go ou-out... Hi Kasumi, you look beautiful today, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?"

"Again."

"Hi Kasumi, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?"

"Again."

"H-Hi Kasumi, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?"

"Why Doctor Tofu, I'd love to."

Tofu's eyes opened to the size of dinner plates as Kasumi's melodious voice answered. She was standing in the doorway Sena had reopened. Behind her Nabiki and Nodoka stood with large smiles.

Tofu stared at the eldest Tendo sister, his brain trying to process this new information but failing badly. His voice returned quickly, "Hi Kasumi, would you like to..."

Akane smiled to her sister trying to be nonchalant about clamping shut the doctors mouth with her hand, "Congratulations, Sis." she said happily. Hopefully he would snap out of it soon.

Her hand released his jaw as he stood up straight. "I-i-i-i I better make sure all my work is done so I can go on a d-d-d-ate with Ka-ka-ka-ka..."

The girls backed away quickly as he strode out of the room, the bed dragging behind him but not slowing him in the slightest.

Nabiki and Akane were fast, moving in front of Kasumi and holding her hands talking in low voices filled with their happiness for their sisters coming date.

Nodoka and Sena looked down at the two tracks made by the solid rubber wheels, dragged with their brakes still on by the doctor in his quest to clear his schedule for tomorrows date.

"All in all, it could have gone worse Sena-chan."

Sena nodded but didn't look at the older woman. "I know Aunty, but if the date goes like that..."

"Don't go imagining troubles yet. If the date fails, we'll think of something. They like each other too much to just give up on each other."

-qwerty-qwerty-

Dinner at the Saotome table was a rather mixed affair.

Ranma had breezed by them wanting to get some extra practice in for tomorrow and had left on ahead of them. When Akane had gone out to practice herself he said he was done there and had to take something over to Mousse.

He returned just as they sat to dinner.

The mood was high with the prospects of them both getting through to the finals and Kasumi's invite from the good Doctor, but was brought down by something between Ranma and Akane. Nodoka and the elder Tendo girls watched on oddly as Ranma intently kept his head down, refusing to look at Akane, quickly gobbling his food, while Akane was refusing to look at anything but Ranma with a quickly growing look of displeasure on her face.

Akane's voice when she did speak was strained. "So Ranma, what did you have to take to Mousse?" she asked between bites.

"Just one of his chains he left here and wanted back." he replied over chewing with his head still down.

Akane opened her mouth again but he beat her to it. "Hey Kasumi, you going out with the Doc huh? He's a good guy."

Kasumi nodded and blushed despite the fact it had been brought up several times in the hours since she had been asked out.

Akane again tried to interject but Ranma suddenly pushed his bowl back and stood up.

"That was great Mom. I'm gonna grab a quick bath."

He managed to get out of the room before anyone could reply, which shifted all attention to the youngest girl there who huffed loudly starring at the door way he had left through.

"What is that about Akane?"

Akane looked at Nabiki, noting that Nodoka and Kasumi were just as interested in the answer. She shrugged, "I don't know. I gave him some bad tips on beating that Dojo Destroyer but even before that he had been avoiding me. But the moment I try to get an answer from him he comes up with some excuse to get away from me."

"Did you do or say anything to him, Akane-chan? It normally takes something big to work my son up."

"No Aunty, aside from that bad tip, I can't think of anything."

Nabiki picked into her dinner for another morsel. "Well Sis, you better go find out what it is or else you're going to just work yourself up, and while I'm sharing a room with you, I don't want you tossing and turning all night."

Akane eyed her sister for a moment before nodding and wolfing down the last of her food. She just needed a way to keep him in place for a while.

Nodoka carefully watched the girl she hoped would be her future daughter in law eating her food, hoping Akane could fix whatever her son was upset about.

* * *

Ranma sighed as he sat back in the steaming hot bath water. Closing his eyes, he let himself completely relax as the heat seeped through his body.

He kept his mind focused on the opponents he might face tomorrow, knowing that if he ignored it long enough, this problem with Akane would either go away or escalate into something he could fight. Most of his problems were like that.

His eyes sprung open as the outer door of the change room was yanked open. He had just gotten to sit up when the inner door to the furo was nearly pulled off its tracks and Akane stomped angrily in with a twisted towel in one hand.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing Aka..."

-Crack-

"OW! Hey!" Ranma cried as Akane flicked him with the wet towel, snapping right on his bare pectoral.

"Sit down!" she demanded.

But Ranma was in no mood to obey. He moved to stand and get out of the tub. "What's your problem?"

Akane tensed the towel between her hands, standing side on, ready to flick down towards the waterline. "Keep rising Ranma, just a little higher."

Ranma gulped and sat back down in the tub.

Akane watched him angrily till the fact that he was sitting bare in the furo seeped in to her head. With a blush, she grabbed his towel and tossed it to him, her focus complete on re-tensing her towel as he covered himself.

She hid her own embarrassment with and angry tone, "Now, do you want to tell me why you've been avoiding me all afternoon?"

Ranma looked down and away not sure what to say.

Akane deflated and relaxed her towel. "I'm sorry, whatever I did to upset you I'm sorry. Just tell me what it is and I'll fix it."

Ranma looked up at her, wanting to take the pain in her voice away. "Why'd you bet me to Shampoo? The massage I mean."

Akane winced as she recalled the incident with Shampoo and Ukyo in the change room at the tournament. "I didn't mean to, it just kind of got out of hand. Shampoo was being her obnoxious self and I guess I brought up the massage to one up her. Then she challenged me on it, winner of the tournament gets the massage, out of me, Shampoo, and Ukyo."

Ranma nodded and thought about it for a moment. He recalled how often things like that got out of hand in his life. He looked up suddenly, "Is that it? What happens to the losers?"

Akane grinned. "The losers have to date that Mousse guy."

Ranma laughed. "If you or Ukyo win, Mousse is gonna owe you guys big time."

He looked in her eyes, keeping his grin but his voice was more serious. "You sound pretty confident you can take her?"

Akane shrugged, and did a good imitation of his voice. "Akane Tendo don't lose."

"You better be right student, cause ya gonna spark off world war three with me in the middle if you're wrong." He said back to her, before holding one hand out of the water to her. "Promise not to lose?"

Akane took it with a confident smile. "You got it, sensei."

Her smile faded when he didn't let go.

"An opening!" Was all she heard as she was dragged into the hot water of the furo.

Ranma scrambled to get clear of the bath, but his tread on the bottom failed and gave Akane enough time to lunge after him, her hands grabbing over his shoulders to pull herself up his back and keep him in the tub.

"Oh my!"

When Ranma went still Akane managed to get to her knees behind him and look over his shoulder.

Nabiki was leaning against the door jam watching the pair with an amused grin and a raised eyebrow. Kasumi and Nodoka were behind her looking in with surprised faces.

All they could see was Ranma's torso above the water level and Akane's head and hands behind him over his shoulders.

"Hey Sis, I thought it was a no no for any athlete to go do the 'naughty' the night before a major event?"

Both of the pair blushed a scarlet red that peaked just when Nabiki brought her camera to bear.

"And you guys thought I was blushing a lot. Amateurs."

(To be continued)

Natsumi Tsujimoto is the property Kosuke Fujishima of the series 'Your Under Arrest' (Dark Horse Comics and Animeigo). She was just showing up as an opponent with her returning in a later chapter to cause more discomfort for our hero and heroine.

Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf, Paul Henkel and Sakurabana for proof reading and plot advising.

Reviews, emails, ideas and recommendations are all very welcome. As are fan art, and special thanks got to Arianna Vesle who sent me a fantastic piece of Akane and Ranma in their fighting outfits for the tournament, which now adorns my Meeting Later home page.

Thank you for reading.

Trent O'Donoghue

.


	7. Chapter 7

Meeting Later - Chapter 7

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. All spelling is pretending to be Australian.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 10/10/08

A thumping guitar riff played as a tall, handsome Chinese man threw his arms forward, chains emerging from his long white sleeves to trip his gi-wearing opponent down to the red mat. Moving in, Mousse produced a simple iron bar, hooking it behind his opponents arm as he kneeled his weight on the martial artist, the bar acting like a lever, stretching his back, its effectiveness testified on the downed man's tortured expression.

Darker beats strayed below the sound of an ominous oboe as Akane charged her attractive blonde opponent, her fists blurring as she impacted Azusa's face and body, blow after blow forcing her opponent back and down till on the floor, she rolled the skater on her back and lay over her, yanking the girls leg up to keep her shoulders to the mat as the judges counted.

The beats stayed low, the oboe replaced by a crashing guitar sound as a martial artist in a black hood and clothes took blow after blow from his opponent without flinching, striding ever forward, forcing his younger gi clad opponent back into the ropes before finally taking action, snagging the boys arm yank him up, second hand grabbing low to lift him over his head and toss him contemptuously outside the ring.

The music changed, getting an up beat and horn heavy heroic piece as Ranma spun around his huge bald opponent, avoiding the reach of the mans arms and dodging the dojo signs he swung around like a whip. Moving in, a leg sweep toppled the giant as the pig tailed martial artist charged up the whip like a bridge, to step up and onto the baldpate, riding down again as the dojo destroyers face impacted the mat.

The horns were replaced with flutes though the music stayed strong and potent, Sakura spinning away in the black and gold of her corporate costume, giving ground to gracefully dodge her opponents spin kick. As the two closed again, the golden haired girl stood her ground, her hands blurring, chopsticks clicking as they pinched closed on her dark haired opponents wrists and ankles in an iron defense against all her attacker tried to tag her with. Finally Sakura blurred with speed, her head whipping around, long golden plats moving like whips to hit with stunning force to her opponent.

The music became the normal tone, an exciting medium of all of the previous, the fighters above shown in ready combat posses, Sakura and Akane appearing to be facing off then Ranma the same with the man in black, as the large letters announcing today's tournament being televised on a sponsored sports channel on pay TV, the logo of the main sponsors, Shishimi Take-out, followed.

Turning away from the TV screen, Nabiki gave a bemused smile to her younger sister, who sat slack jawed facing the box across the Saotome table, eating breakfast. Her voice took on an accusing tone that failed to counter the laughter in her eyes, "Ooh, my eyes are finally open, how could I have missed that you are such an evil woman, baby sister, I hope you don't win."

Akane's mouth moved like a fish out of water over the bowl of soup in her hand, her mind reeling at how all the media of the tournament seemed stacked against her. "But I, I'm not the bad guy... girl, it's like yesterday, they're trying to make me out as a villain!"

A hand on her shoulder pulled her down as she started to rise. "Calm down Akane, this is how Sakura fights. She wants you upset when you fight so you can't take her on at your best."

Glancing over her shoulder, Akane looked into Ranma's blue eyes, the open focus there stealing her anger instantly. With a nod, she regained her seat.

"Just don't let her under your skin, or you'll be wide open when she starts her dirty tricks in the ring. I just hope Ukyo and Shampoo don't fall for this crap too."

"But Ranma," Kasumi asked inquisitively where she sat opposite Nabiki on Ranma's right, "Your other fiancée's weren't even in that commercial, why would that upset them."

"Actually Kasumi, that's kinda' the point. For Shampoo at least, she'll be insulted that she wasn't shown as one of the stars, she's a little proud of her abilities. And both her and Ukyo get real upset that Sakura's control over the event means they hear how I am her fiancé every two minutes while they are ignored."

Akane grimaced for a while, thinking about the other girl's manipulations, putting the blonde Sakura on the same list as Kodachi Kuno for pains in her life. Finally she gave a huff, "That... over indulged Brat, is going to find it difficult to portray me as anything when I'm done with her!" she declared with a glance for Nodoka at using her label for the blonde, her face breaking into a dark grin at the humiliation she planned to put her through in the ring.

"You better, try to keep any doubt or anger off your face and you'll get a rise out of her. Just leave that dopey look you get when you don't understand a technique on your face," Ranma said, smirking.

The girl in question growled and lashed out with a fist that was ducked by the teasing teacher.

Glancing at her watch, Nabiki swiftly got to her feet. "Quick quick Sis, I don't have long till I have to meet Kuno. Come on Kasumi, I'll need your help to get her ready. We'll give you something a bit stronger than your teacher's suggestion."

Bending down, she started to drag a confused Akane upstairs to the spare room, followed sedately by Kasumi.

* * *

Ryoga Hibiki watched his ally fill the flask from the tap. This Ohata guy was far from a friend, he was too manipulative to even want him for a friend. He was using him to get revenge on Ranma and then that was it between them.

The young man in question turned to him, holding up the flask then putting it in the small bag they were taking with them. "Any questions about the plan today? Are you ready to grind Saotome into the ground? Make him suffer, live on television?"

Picking up the black mask that he had fought in the whole of yesterday, Ryoga looked at the tall boy before him. "I can do my part. Just bring my clothes for that fight."

His eyes flicked out the window to where Jiro's little friends were being directed by Toko out in the yard of the house, picking up cats from a large cage and putting them in sacks. "What are they up to?"

Jiro Ohata smiled, "Just a little insurance, in case luck shines on Saotome. He will not win this day if I have anything to say about it."

* * *

Nabiki had left to get this Kuno guy from the local train station when the rest of them had started walking for the exhibition hall hosting the tournament, and Ranma wanted to be ready for him.

Ranma was trying very hard to focus on what he recalled about Kendo and not about...

Striding silently beside him, Akane was more interested in holding her composure and confident image, than interrupting his silence.

Behind these two, Kasumi and Nodoka smiled as they matched pace, knowing exactly what Ranma was trying not to focus on, and failing as he occasionally glanced at his student beside him.

The pig-tailed martial artist had had no idea what to expect after Nabiki had taken her sisters upstairs to give Akane a 'stronger look' for fighting against Sakura, and when Akane had come back down, the subtle changes had been dreadfully effective on him.

Her hair had been slicked back, and heavier, darker make up applied, her eyes and lashes appearing much stronger, while less open, like she was naturally looking you over as an object than a person. Her lips had become a deep, rich red, her pouting expression losing all vulnerabilities and hospitality, but attracting his blue eyes like a magnet.

Her red top and black skirt fighting outfit was unchanged, but over her shoulders was a feminine black leather jacket that still did little to hide her barred midriff. Now outdoors she had added dark sunglasses, another level of mystery that drew Ranma's gaze every time that his thoughts on today's fights or meeting Kuno wavered.

The youngest Tendo sister herself was trying to keep her focus, drilling in her sister's words of how this will anger Sakura, and probably the other girls too. She still wasn't sure though if this was the right way to handle today's fights, but whatever she did Sakura's media men were twisting it anyway.

As the foursome came into view of the hall, Akane's mouth grimaced as a huge poster had been deployed on the side of the building, twenty foot images of herself and Sakura facing off like they were preparing to fight, covered the near wall on the left side of the entrance hall, while a similar one of Mouse and Ranma was on the right. Her eyes narrowed behind her dark glasses as she saw a lot of male heads in the queue out the front were angled up at her larger than life image. Her hands unconsciously closed her jacket about her in a vain effort to stop them looking.

"Perverts!" she spat under her breath, her brow furrowing as she glanced to the side at Ranma, whose blue eyes flicked between the real her and the poster, out of his redden face. Her brow furrowed as she shook it off, releasing her jacket and standing taller, he'd seen much more than that, actually his rough hands had massaged more of her than these perverts were seeing. A bright brush broke out over her face as she considered how much her teacher had seen and touched of her, parts of her fearful of what the public would think hearing stories of that, and other parts nervously wondering what even more would be like.

A boy, about ten years old, broke away from the crowd as they approached, rushing up, posters in one hand and a pen in the other, a savior to both martial artists from rather inappropriate thoughts. His wide brown eyes magnifying the begging of his shy voice as he requested an autograph. Akane smiled gently as Ranma took the pen quickly, signing under the image of himself on a poster like that on the wall of the building.

As he finished, Ranma offered the pen to Akane, the boy pulling out a second poster, of her and Sakura. "Sign it quick Akane, Sakura likes to have these fans but if we get caught up here we'll be ages getting inside."

Her brown eyes looked back at the queue the boy had come from, noticing now the sign with Sakura's name at the front, knowing she'd be under it.

Squatting so she could sign with her knee as backing to the poster, she looked at the little boy. "Are you going to get Sakura Shishimi to sign this too, little boy?"

She smiled as he nodded and signed her name, adding a number of 'X's to the end, signifying kisses. "You'd better hurry up and get back in the queue or you'll miss out."

With a 'thank you' the boy rushed off, Akane quickly leading Ranma and the others around to where they could see his progress among those others after autographs from the model/actress/martial artist.

* * *

Sakura smiled her trademark sign for another fan-boy, signing a swimwear picture of her from last year's calendar, her mind bored as she prepared for the next fan. The young boy smiled as he put yet another poster for today's tournament of herself and Tendo.

Her eyes widened, then narrowed as she saw Akane Tendo had already signed it, three X 'kiss' marks following the signature, right across her image's face!

Jumping to her feet, Sakura demanded the location of her co-signer from the boy before her, turning as the child pointed, the girl's eyes meeting. Smiling with casual contempt for Sakura, Akane turned to grab Ranma's arm and began to lead him around the side of the building, heading for the back stage entrance.

* * *

"Er, Akane, what's all that about?"

"She started this Ranma. I'm not trying to cause you any problems, but she's making me out to be a bad girl or something, so I'm going to teach her how much of a villain, I can be." She replied firmly.

"Er, what exactly is a 'bad girl'?"

"Well, I, um, it's kind of hard to explain."

Nodoka smiled as she spoke up, "Ranma, think of the villain girls in your favorite films?"

"Okay," he replied slowly, his eyes showing no clue had sunk in. "But what kinds of stuff is Akane doing here to be this villain girl? Should I be doing anything to help?"

#Smack#

Nodoka's eyes widened, and Kasumi's face tinged pink, both watching as Ranma rounded back on Akane, one hand rubbing his rump, the girl walking away after spanking the anything goes martial artist. Her head turned back with a dark smile as she went inside.

"Just stay the way you are Ranma, let me worry about the rest." She said huskily.

* * *

"Master Kuno?"

The master in question looked over the head of his diminutive ninja retainer, surveying the crowd moving through the less than pristine tunnels from the underground train station.

"Master Kuno, I really would suggest-"

"Sasuke, pray tell, where did Nabiki Tendo request I meet her?"

With pained regret, Sasuke could feel where this was going, "Miss Tendo asked you to travel to this station and await her at this point. But Master Kuno, if you would just-"

Holding his hand in front of Susuke's face, Kuno looked distastefully at the crowds of commoners passing him, his detestation of Nabiki Tendo for forcing him to travel by such pedestrian means rising.

"And why did I agree to travel on these filthy carriages?"

"You agreed to this Master Kuno, because Miss Tendo is going to sell you the location of her sister, but sir if-"

"Ah, the glorious Akane Tendo, a fierce tigress and my destined bride. Too long has she been kept from my embrace, oh how she must have suffered?" He raised his hand to his forehead as he thought of her suffering.

"Yes Master Kuno, that is why I think-"

Again Sasuke was cut off by his employer's hand. "And you are here instead of returning to the Kuno mansion to regain the family car from my depraved sister and her detestable pet Sanzenin, why?"

"I'm just going Master Kuno, but I really think-"

Again the hand came up, this time with an imperious gaze that finally broke his resolve. "Yes Master Kuno, I'll have the car brought immediately." With a bow the ninja turned and fled, sneaking back into the station, cursing again that his 'allowance' did not stretch for return train tickets.

Imperiously, or a fair imitation of such, Kuno stood and waited, looking distastefully at the passing commuters.

"Martial artists, Mommy, Martial artists."

A young boy, maybe six or seven was pointing towards Kuno, who smiled indulgently for the well dressed child and squatted down. "Nay child, Kendo Master, I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of the Land of the Rising Sun, am a Kendo Master." He said condescendingly, pulling forth his sheathed blade to display it to the boy.

The boy stood wide eyed and began to cry as his Mother appeared, pulling him quickly away, apologizing to Kuno for bothering him. Turning the corner she lifted her child and ran from the weirdo swordsman.

"Ah, that he should be so moved by my greatness." Kuno mulled to himself. His eyes narrowed suddenly as across the way appeared his nemesis of this day, sister of his beloved, Nabiki Tendo. He mentally prepared himself for her trickery and riddles, facing her with all the commanding presence that he had, and smiling darkly as her face paled in light of his magnificence.

"Nabiki Tendo, I have come as you requested by this most common transit system, now then, you shall reveal to me the location of your sisters dark incarceration from the sun of her life." He watched the woman's eyes narrow and the corners of her mouth twitch up, her mercenary nature and greed showing to his sharp, expert eye, the foolish commoner believing herself to have the advantage here over his mighty self.

"I believe I agreed to give that information in exchange for doubled the offered reward you declared last week, Kuno baby. Now as soon as I see the cheque, I'll take you to her this very day."

"Nay, you will tell me wherefore she resides so that I may rush to her side and end her torment."

"Oh no, Kuno Baby, see Akane has responsibilities today that she says you must swear not to interfere with, or she will be embarrassed and dishonored. Even after you give me that cheque, you are to stay with me till these events are over, otherwise you may as well go home right now and not see her today."

Nabiki smiled as his mouth worked like fish, his face mixing outrage, hope, and fear. Finally he calmed himself, putting on the distasteful face he often spared for her. "I will not act to dishonor my beloved, oh future sister. Here is you thirty pieces of silver, now wherefore is my destined tigress!"

Smiling, Nabiki took the cheque and confirmed the details where correct before sliding it into her purse, beside the new electronic toy she had purchased and named 'Insurance'.

"Come on Kuno baby, we need to get good seats." She said smoothly, her smile widening as he followed, mumbling to himself how he detested her. She glanced back to let him know she had heard him, her eyes flicking to the poster for the Juban tournament he had been waiting in front of, the image of Akane and Sakura facing off over a smaller sign directing commuters which way to the exhibition hall and event. "You know Kuno, Sis often says how special you are, but sometimes you amaze even me."

* * *

"After each fight, you're to bow or curtsey to the crowd and return up the ramp to back stage, the winner will then be interviewed by a camera team, snippets of which will end up between fights, and on final tape sales so don't do anything unacceptable in front of the camera."

Akane nodded to the stage manager she'd just signed in with. All the rules of yesterday still applied, though that the fights would be televised live showed in how efficiently they were trying to run the competitor movements when outside the ring, and how warnings were repeated regarding the cables and equipment that were not to be touched, tripped over, or damaged in any way.

Finishing with the stage manager, she had made it three steps before the singsong voice of Ranma's Amazon wife called to her. "Husband thief show up? Shampoo surprised, no think husband thief wants beating in front of TV people."

Dark eyes flashing, Akane turned on Shampoo, visibly trying to control her anger. "Weren't you the one who wanted to face me in this tournament Shampoo? Or is that ridiculous hair cut cutting the blood from your brain and making you forgetful?"

The two glared for a moment longer, before Akane turned to the cackling voice nearby. A tiny old crone-like lady in a nurse's uniform was balanced atop an equally gnarled walking cane that would otherwise have been twice her height. "Yes, I can see why Happi likes you. You must keep him well entertained."

"You know Grandfather Happosai?" Akane asked, stepping back to keep Shampoo and Cologne in front of her.

"Yes, Happosai tried to, let's say 'court' me, when I was much younger."

"You're Cologne?" A touch of disbelief entering her voice as she looked over the shriveled elder. "I thought you'd be... taller?"

"When you get to my age child, you'll be surprised how little you look like you do now." Cologne said in a light voice, though her eyes showed a flicker of tiredness and experience before refocusing on the Japanese girl.

"Husband thief be surprised how little she look like now after fight with Shampoo. Airen and Stinky Panty Thief Pervert no want as student when Shampoo done," Shampoo said, smiling darkly.

Glaring at the purple haired girl, Akane tensed her legs, fists clenching, wanting nothing more than to smack the smile from her face. "You keep calling me Husband Thief and I might have to help Ukyo or Sakura make sure you have no husband to take."

Her skin paling for a moment at the threat, Shampoo quickly smiled again, "Okay, Shampoo no call Husband Thief, Shampoo know Airen not too too desperate to want for Panty thief student."

Akane growled, but she didn't spring as Ranma's hand grabbed her shoulder. "Keep calm or they'll kick you out."

Taking calming breaths, she settled for a glare at the smiling Chinese girl. Shampoo's smile went down at her husband's casual contact with the girl but then widened as she looked back into her brown eyes. "You no like teacher? You no steal panties? Maybe Boy's Shorts Thief Girl?"

Glancing to her future husband, Shampoo's smug enjoyment of her joke was obvious, "Airen no missing shorts?"

Whatever Akane or Ranma were about to reply was cut off, "Ranchan, the bimbo is making less sense than usual, has she fallen into Spring of Drowned Ditz now or can you decipher what she's babbling about?"

The Amazon glared as Ukyo approached, flanked by Junko and Konatsu, the young black haired girl and the feminine ninja boy looking like they'd really prefer not to fight but both ready to defend their boss.

"Hey everyone calm down," Ranma said quickly, "You fight each other like this and you may as well hand the trophy to Sakura now."

Akane nodded, though she could almost see in Shampoo and Ukyo's eyes the image of Ranma himself sitting in a large cup like trophy. "He's right, Sakura has already declared war on us all, we should be more concerned about bumping her off early and then whoever gets to the final round can worry about the trophy or anything else." She glanced to the two girl's eyes, not looking at Ranma as they all thought about their side bet.

"That won't work I'm afraid," said a quiet yet strong voice, the white robed Chinese man stepping forward holding a piece of paper. Mousse had his glasses on top of his head and stared with piercing eyes at the group. "The fights have been supposedly randomly allocated, but the only way any of you will fight Sakura is over the others defeated bodies."

His hand lashed up to point at Ranma, "Ukyo Kuonji shall first face," his hand pointed again, this time at Junko, "Akane Tendo. The winner to face the winner of, Junko Kosin and Shampoo of the Amazons!" His hands lashed out, one finger pointing at Cologne, the other pointing the fight roster at Ukyo. "Only the winner of all four shall reach the women's final and have a chance of facing Shishimi."

Raising an inquisitive eyebrow, Akane glanced at Ranma about the Chinese mans strange behavior, receiving a shrug from Ranma, his eyes concerned as the other girls glanced at each other, Junko's face showing near horror at having to face the Amazon straight off the mark. The pigtailed boy stepped forward and took the paper from Mousse.

His eyes looked at the other names Sakura would be facing to make it to the finals. "Sakura's set herself up with a cake walk to get through to the final while which ever of you beats the rest will be worn down to hell."

His face was struggling for a long moment. "All ya can do is your best, but don't go too far to hurt each other, or ya just make it easier for her to win the final." He obviously wanted to say more but left it there, giving Shampoo a meaningful look that showed his words were mainly at her.

Glancing down again, he looked at the male names trying to see who he was going to be facing. He grimaced as he saw only one name of note between him and the final, guilty eyes looking up at Konatsu, while Mousse had similar issues to Konatsu's, only the 'Black Mask' and some no body in his path to the final.

He passed the page to the ninja with an apologetic look as his name was called and several stagehands began to rush around gathering competitors to form them up and march through the arena for the cameras and spectators. His eyes seeing Sakura up front with a space beside her, smiling indulgently right at him.

* * *

His brown eyes blinked, again and again.

Akane's bare thighs...Akane's bare midriff... Far far far larger than life size. The twenty foot image of his beloved truly did justice to her fighting spirit, but, but, but, so much skin for all to see! Her dark eyes looked out with equally dark challenge from the billboard-sized poster hanging from the wall of the hall that housed the tournament.

Nabiki watched him with a bit of morbid curiosity, unsure exactly how he was going to react to Akane's new image.

His face was frowning as he turned on her. "Nabiki Tendo, why fore has your angelic sister given up her fierce white gi in favor of this new attire? Truly it is more flattering for her divine form but it is unbecoming for a future Kuno to show this much to the commoners, as does my incorrigible sister. What right have these plebeians to gaze upon her smooth skin? What scurrilous fiend has been perverting her mind, from the tidy and purity wonder that binds my heart."

A small mysterious smile crested Nabiki's lips, "My little sister is maturing, Kuno-baby. She can't stay twelve forever. Maybe it's a bit of the wild horse in her." Her smile widened in self-amusement at her words.

The man known as the Blue Thunder watched his guide's smile with concern. His peerless insight told him to be careful of Nabiki's craftiness, and he willed to himself that he would be ever vigilant of what conniving plans this money grubber had, he would not be fooled. "Tis this change brought on by the influence of the mysterious trainer that has kept her from my embrace? This Saotomo?"

"Oh no, Kuno-baby, Saotome, Ranma Saotome, has been the one training Akane in another branch of our family art, but I don't think he wants her too much like this, I think he likes her just the way she is. You should be glad he's already engaged though, or Daddy might have tried to unite our schools and you'd be without any chance of being with my little sister."

The brown eyes of the scion of the Kuno line narrowed again, trying to see what subtle hints this woman was trying to fool him with. Mentally he put this Saotome with his engagement as not being a competitor for his love. Once he identified and eliminated every threat to his and his beloved's happiness, Nabiki Tendo and all her plans would be powerless against him.

"Come on Kuno-baby, the tournaments about to start, you wouldn't want to miss sis fight would you?"

* * *

"You must be wary Shampoo."

"Yes Great Grand Mother, I not let guard down." Shampoo replied in a singsong voice looking over the purple and blue body paint outfit in the mirror.

Cologne grimaced, choosing not to hit her daughter to get her attention, it had taken too long preparing her hair and outfit to mess it up. It would be a mark of pride for her to finish without marring the body paint. "This is Happosai's student. If I am right he has been training her in techniques to take down son-in-law, and if you aren't careful you will fall too."

Shaking her hair, Shampoo looked over her shoulder at Cologne. "Shampoo will no lose, Shampoo have Twenty Stabbing star technique," she stated, holding up her hands to show the sparkling paint on the nails, glancing down to see them on her bare feet as well. "Pervert student no see fall coming."

* * *

The huge monitors around the indoor arena showed snippets of yesterday's fights as the crowds filed in, almost all the seats filled. Minutes past as ten o'clock came closer, when the lights dimmed and the monitors were replaced by a count down, the crowd quieting for a moment before a chant counting down with the numbers began.

With zero, the spot lights glared and swung around the hall as a cheer went up, almost drowning the guitar heavy music as logos for the tournament and sponsors, with flicking fighting moments from yesterdays and last year's events.

A single six-sided orange ring sat in the center of the arena, the crowd held back three meters from it by a three-foot high black barrier. A single wide ramp led from under the main monitors to the ring area, curtains under the massive TV leading back stage, the only easy way down to ring area without climbing the barrier.

The cameras focused down on a table set into an alcove made by the barrier opposite the ramp, where two men sat in colorful get up.

"Hello folks, and welcome this Culture day weekend to the finals of the Second Annual Juban Open Martial Arts Tournament. I'm Jimmu Rassu, and with me is Juri 'The Shogun' Laluru."

"Thanks Jimmu. And welcome all our TV audience watching live around Japan thanks to 'Shishimi Takeout, fighting the biggest hungers Japan-wide'. Today we have the final sixteen men and sixteen women competing for the first place Men's and Women's tournament and an amazing trip up to beautiful ski trip to a secluded mountain resort."

"That's right Shogun, and coming down the ramp now we have the judges for today led by chief referee Eru Hebner. Referee Hebner has nearly forty years experience at judging Martial Arts combat and will help to keep today's events fair for all competitors."

The camera's moved to show the aging, bald Ref Hebner, flanked by two other men, all wearing black and white umpire shirts with the Shishimi Takeout logo striding down the ramp waving to the crowd. The three moved down to take positions around the hexagonal ring, evenly spaced to be able to see each side.

"Coming out next we have the competitors, led by last years male champion and favorite to win again, Ranma Saotome, and beside him his lovely fiancée and the girl who was just piped from victory last year by Saotome's own sister, Miss Sakura Shishimi."

Two columns of competitors began to move from behind the curtain as the music rang out again, Ranma waving to his mother than the crowd in general before moving down the ramp, pairs of male and female competitors following.

* * *

Nabiki efficiently moved down the stairs to the seats indicated on her ticket, dragging Kuno down as the swordsman gazed down on those on the ramp, oblivious to the growing annoyance of the girl.

Finding the row, the Tendo daughter pulled on her guest to get him to take the seat further in so she had some chance of stopping him should he try again to leave and go back stage to give 'comfort and support' to his beloved, the previous attempt being what had them late. After he had calmed down, he had then wasted more time offering considerable cash for the twenty-foot high larger than life poster of his beloved out the front of the building.

Grumbling, the Kendoist sat down and Nabiki moved to do the same only to have him again leap to his feet, seeing her sister at the very back of the column of competitors. His mouth opened to cry his joy to his beloved but Nabiki shoved her hand over his mouth, "Remember your promise Kuno baby, you swore not to interfere today, so sit down and behave yourself. I'm sure she'll be happy to deal with you after the tournament."

"Verily," he replied solemnly, "Yet my heart does ring with the bell of love that I behold her greatness." His eyes locked onto the monitor as it zoomed in on the girl in question, his brow creasing as he took in the subtle changes. "Tell me, which man is this Saotome?"

Her eyes narrowed, Nabiki quickly considered her words. She had to be careful to maintain control of the swordsman. She needed him to simmer to boil and not blow his lid and go charging off to early. Ranma had asked questions specifically about rising Kuno's temper, obviously wanting to know how to get him that way. He would be angry regardless, but if she wanted to deliver him to Auntie's son gift wrapped for their fight, she needed to feed him the details slowly.

"Well Kuno Baby," she began over the crowd, smiling at him bristle at her pet name for him, not for his reaction but for knowing she now had his undivided attention. "Look at the front of the line of competitors, see how that guy with the pigtail has an outfit like hers, with the horse on the back?"

She let him look at her sister and Ranma, letting it sink in as he shuffled in his seat. "That's Ranma Saotome, and he studies the same Anything Goes School as Akane and my father. Akane has been learning more about our school from him, and so they have to wear similar outfits."

"So he is making her wear such an outfit? He has undue influence on my fierce tigress, I will have to talk to this Saotome, inform him of my displeasure." He nodded to himself for his choice of action. "What kind of man is he?"

Smiling nervously, unsure of what conclusion the Kendoist had reached, she replied. "Just a jock, Akane can beat him in a fight, and he seems honorable enough."

"For his own sake, I would hope he knows how to listen to his betters."

* * *

Ref Hebner's whistle blow to start the first fight rang out loud enough to be heard back stage, several competitors watching monitors back stage as Sakura faced off in her gold and black leather against a trim girl with light brown hair in a pink and green leotard. The pair clashed, Sakura's chopsticks snatching a pair of white gymnastics clubs from her opponent's hands before she ducked back, dodging a lashing ribbon.

"Oh, a Rhythmic Gymnast," Akane stated, recalling her own misadventures in that field of the martial arts, eyes on the monitor, watching both girls stances and attacks.

"She's gonna get creamed, it's not much of a martial art unless your opponent has to follow the same rules as you, and Sakura sure as hell won't. Look, she's only using the tools, it's such a dumb martial art."

Akane's brown eyes turned slowly on the blue of the martial artist beside her. "I'll have you know I was rather good at Rhythmic Gymnastics Martial Arts, thank you very much, Ranma. It's a lot more hard work than you think. Don't sell her short, against Sakura's chopsticks that ribbon might work well."

Holding his hands up defensively, he smirked at her. "Okay, sorry, I'm wrong, you're right. What I should a said was it's a girly martial art."

Her shoulders set as she gave him a glare. Akane hated it when he started on teasing her with sexist remarks, and she hated more how his smirk would widen with her temper flaring at it. He seemed to need to get under her skin. Her eyes spied someone over his shoulder and her own smile returned.

"Doctor Tofu, can you come here for a moment."

"Yes Akane? Something wrong?" He asked nervously, this wasn't going to be more ribbing on him regarding Akane's sister. The handsome chiropractor approached the pair.

"Nothing wrong, its just Ranma was just saying how Rhythmic Gymnastic Martial Arts is only for girls. Please Ranma, do go on."

The Doctor's features flushed then calmed and he looked at Ranma. "Ranma, I'm surprised, you of all people should know there is no justification in differences between the sexes when it comes to pure skill in the martial arts."

Ranma wasn't dissuaded, his eyes focusing on the older man. "Doc, don't tell me you do Rhythmic Gymnastics?"

"I did learn a little in my younger years, Sena wanted to and needed a practice partner. I have to admit there is a good deal of art in it, even if it is not the most martial. I gave Akane a few tips when she was having difficulty with a challenger. She did an excellent job during her rematch."

The pigtailed boy shrugged, obviously not convinced. A roar of the crowd distracted them and the pair looked at the monitor to see the Gymnast smacking the mat with free her hand as she lay on her stomach, her other arm twisted badly behind her back by Sakura's chopstick grip, the blondes knee holding her down so she couldn't roll to freedom. Ref Hebner declared a point to Sakura and the blonde stood and moved away, waiting for her partner to be ready to continue.

"Rematch, huh? So you lost to a rhythmic gymnast?" he asked, she didn't need to turn, she could hear the smirk.

"I didn't lose, I got disqualified." She replied defensively as she watched Sakura move in against her opponent again, targeting the same arm she had twisted to force submission the first time. "Kodachi had years more experience than me and was cheating too. I got frustrated." She admitted with a touch of a blush.

"You punched her, huh?" Her blush was enough of a confirmation and he chuckled. "Oh yeah, it's a fine martial art, it's just far easier to just deck your opponent but I'm not allowed to knock it. It sounds ever so manly."

She replied with a red eye for the boy before turning back to the screen as Sakura tossed her opponent from the ring by the same weakened arm, and with two out of three falls, the blonde won the match. Tofu excused himself to see to any injuries from the downed gymnast.

The pair watched the repeat on the screen of the win before looking to the curtain as the Doctor passed Sakura, returned back stage after her victory. Almost immediately a cameraman and host appeared to interview Sakura post fight.

Akane watched her for a minute as the girl smiled and replied to questions, sipping from a bottle of water occasionally. A dark grin came to her face as she replaced her sunglasses, turning to Ranma.

"Well, better start warming up, not long till my fight. Help me stretch?"

She didn't wait for any reply from Ranma beyond his questioning glace, raising her leg up as if to attack him with an axe kick. Reacting instantly, he blocked and held the leg, wondering why Akane smiled as she leant into him, her legs almost vertically opposed, her face near his hands around her ankle, cream thigh and glossed lips not to far from his own face.

He gulped, his Adams apple bouncing with the motion.

A loud pop and a screech of outrage came from Sakura, the water bottle in her hand bursting, splashing both men and her, and attracting the attention of most back stage. She moved angrily towards Akane as the girl brought her leg back down from Ranma.

"Can I help you Sakura?" Akane asked sweetly.

Sakura seethed for a long moment and glared at Ranma who backed up waving his hands defensively, obviously confused about what happened and not wanting any trouble for it. She marched up into Akane's face.

"You'll never have him," she hissed. "Even if you could steal him from me, those other two bimbo's would stop you."

Akane gave a Ranma-like smirk to her, "Today, I'd be more worried about me humiliating you in your little tournament."

"I'll see you on your back in our fight, Tendo! You're going to beg me to finish you in front of that crowd when I'm done."

Turning smartly away, her leather fuku skirt swirling up, Sakura left. Akane watched her go out the back with a dark look. Part of her concerned by Sakura's threat, part of her elated by pushing the blondes buttons this far. Another part of her mind directed her eyes back to the other Anything Goes Martial artist, wondering of Sakura's initial accusation...

* * *

'Shogun' smiled toothily for the camera as they cut back from a commercial break. "Welcome back to the Bokuto arena, for more of day two of the Juban Open Martial Arts tournament, sponsored by 'Shishimi Takeaway' fighting the biggest hungers, Japan wide!"

"That's right Shogun," Jimmu, the other announcer taking over, "And what amazing displays of power and skill we have seen today from our beautiful part of Tokyo. In today's final three knock out rounds, we are already through half of our first round matches, two men and two women no longer in contention for the championship trophy."

"Power and skill is right, first with our female favorite, Ms Sakura Shishimi herself securing her place in the semi finals, then Chinese restaurant worker Muu Tzu gaining victory in a prolonged battle, and Ms Desu of the Asiko dojo making her way through her fight and will now face Ms Shishimi in the semi-finals."

"Very true Shogun, but those fights were ultimately walks in the park compared to the brutality of out last fight, featuring the mysterious 'man in black', on whom we have virtually no knowledge, moving with unstoppable power through the defenses of Mr Chisai Hone, top student and heir of the very traditional Hone Martial Arts dojo." As he spoke the screen image of Jimmu's face pushed back into the corner of the screen, showing a reply of the Man in Black, slamming his smaller Japanese opponent around the ring, before man handling the poor white clad fighter into the air and slamming down out of the ring, onto the thin mats surrounding the ring, the only covering to the concrete floor.

"OW!" cried Shogun, "He might want to consider changing his name to 'Orete', cause that poor boy is 'broken boned'".

The screen came back out showing both men again, now joined by a third young handsome man, putting on headphones as he sat down.

"With us now ladies and gentlemen, we have the 'manager' of this man in black, Mr Jiro Ohata."

"Pleasure to speak with you Jimmu, and you especially Shogun. You know your own career in professional open martial arts tournaments was an inspiration to many of our generation."

"Why thank you Mr Ohata," Shogun replied in a thick voice, before seeming to turn the conversation off himself. "Though that statement does beg the question of you that I'm sure our viewers wish to know. Why haven't we seen you in this tournament? As I recall you were highly rated in last years events before being defeated by last years champion, Ranma Saotome."

Ohata's smile was a little forced. "Well Shogun, this being my final year in high school I really couldn't afford the time to devote to preparing for such an event. My own studies of the martial arts have ceased for the time being, to focus more on mastery of my mind and future. What I have given myself to is giving some tips to a man who will give your tournament a lot of action."

"You're speaking of this 'Man in Black' you're managing."

"I am indeed Jimmu, and I couldn't be happier with the way his training has been coming along."

Jimmu took back control, holding up an information card with very little information. "The producers have agreed with his fighting in costume for all fights but the final, but we have to ask, is this young man from your own former dojo?"

"Oh no Jimmu, my fighter is from a family tradition of martial arts, but not from my former school."

* * *

Nabiki watched the big screen intently, mesmerized by the handsome profile being fed live from the announcers table cameraman. She ignored Kuno self-ranting beside her about being forced to wait through such tripe of lesser fighter's bluster, her mind cataloguing Ohata's details and matching them to a file she had been reading last night.

Licking her lips, she smiled to herself. If he was local to Bokuto high school, she might have to drop by and visit her sister more than she had thought...

Ukyo and Akane jointly glared at Ohata as he emerged from the curtain to the back stage area. The shorthaired boy smiled a white-toothed smile.

"Good luck with your fight, ladies. I'm sure your freak boyfriend will be ready to mother you back to health afterwards."

The longhaired girl clenched her fists. "At least he's not playing manager because he scared to face a real man."

"Go back to your kitchen Kuonji! Just because you want to be one doesn't mean you understand anything about real men."

Akane frowned, not really getting Ohata's reference about Ukyo, and not really caring. "Well in your next life you might be one and you can tell us then, jerk."

A stagehand rushed over, headphones over his ears as he spoke into the mouthpiece. Stepping up to them, he looked to Ohata. "Your fighter wants you." Without waiting for a reply he turned the girls. "Ms Kuonji, you're out in twenty seconds, are you ready?"

Nodding to the stagehand, she looked to the curtain and took calming breaths. She glanced at Akane, a spark of anger in her that the girl had not commented about Ohata's accusation of Ranma being her boyfriend.

Taking another calming breath, she listened for the blaring of the music that the producers had picked out for her, Junko, and Konatsu. Dark strains of sound blared out, mixing the theme of the tournament with a recent punk rock song from the top forty charts about fat food.

Taking a breath, she stepped through the curtain with a smile.

Rolling her eyes, Nabiki pulled on Kuno's shoulder, trying to get him to sit down. He had suddenly brought forth a bouquet of flowers and was almost shaking in excitement. Had he been a child she would have easily believed he was waiting for Santa or desperate for the toilet. The score board rigged up near the massive TV screen showed the name of the competitor, Ukyo Kuonji, was facing Akane Tendo, and Kuno seemed fit to burst at finally seeing his love in action for the first time in weeks, however distantly she was from their seats.

The dark tones of Akane's music began and the target of his love stepped through the curtain onto the stage at the top of the ramp, posing and smiling for the cameras as the crowd equally cheered, wolf whistled, and booed.

* * *

One spectator stood up in the seat behind Nabiki and began to join the negative calls down at Akane. He managed about six syllables before Kuno had his boken in hand with a swing that snapped the air, the wood stopping just touching the spectator's throat.

Nabiki stood just as Kuno opened his mouth to berate this lowly commoner insulting his love. "Do you want to get kicked out of here, Kuno-baby? You start a fight over simple theatrics and you won't get near Akane for years, I'll make sure of it."

Any anger for the man turned on the short Tendo woman before Kuno. "You would want this dog to support your sister's opponent! When I wed my destined love, your threats will have no power over me, woman. You will be..."

"Yes yes, but till then I am the only way you're getting back stage to see her after today's fights. Now do you want to watch Akane trounce some opponents or do you want to wait outside, Kuno-baby?"

Kuno stiffened like a petulant child. He looked to where Akane was crossing into the ring, bristling as wolf whistles rang out from the front rows but he sat down beside Nabiki again. "I will watch."

"Good Kuno, cause next time you stand up in some attempt to defend Akane, you won't be seeing the end of that fight."

He sniffed the air distastefully, mocking Nabiki's ability to back up her words. The brown haired girl smiled as she slipped one hand in her bag.

* * *

Ref Hebner finished a loop around the ring, and looked in at the girls. "Are the competitors ready?"

Both Ukyo and Akane nodded before bowing to him and the panel of judges, then to each other.

Akane swallowed as she watched Ukyo, the brown haired girl's eyes showed more anger than ever, and she had little hope that this match would be considered friendly, even by the standards the day was going to have.

Raising his hand above his head, Ref Eru Hebner brought his whistle to his lips. The hand dropped and the whistle screeched.

Charging in quickly, Akane spun her body to give her limbs momentum and aimed low to try and knock Ukyo off her feet, but the chef countered with her massive spatula, using it as a wall of defense and rushing forward to plough her opponent over. Maintaining the spin, Akane used the momentum to pull herself up and back away from the wide blade of the weapon.

"Okonomiyaki Hot Drop special!"

Ukyo used one hand to keep the spatula as a shield as her right hand began to lob okonomiyaki at her opponent, the first exploding when it hit the mat, the second floating like a discus between ring ropes and exploding a point to blacken the ramp to the stage. Akane managed to flip bodily over the first and duck the second, but the third landed virtually under her foot as she landed, robbing her of her balance for a crucial second.

* * *

Kasumi winced as she watched her baby sister fight, her hand gripping the armrest of her seat in worry. Nodoka patted her on the shoulder. "Don't give up on her. It isn't good to see those we love get hurt like this but she is strong. Have some faith."

As the elder woman spoke, Ukyo rushed in at the unbalanced girl, her kick taking Akane's weakened balancing leg up from the mat, as her spatula scooped the body of the girl. Her shoulders under her blue jacket widened then tightened as she heaved the spatula up to eject Akane from the ring, but as it came up, Akane rolled down it into Ukyo's arms, overbalancing both girls down to the ring mat.

Landing badly, the back of Ukyo's head come down hard as Akane's hip crushed down on her diaphragm, the dark haired girl acting quickly to hook Ukyo's knee up with an elbow, forcing the dazed chef's shoulders down on the mat.

Hebner was beside the ring in an instant, slamming his hand down as he counted to three.

The crowd's cheers failed to swallow Kasumi's as Nodoka clapped. "Your sister is very good Kasumi-chan, and my son has mentioned that she doesn't give up easily."

* * *

Ukyo growled as she regained her breath and got to her feet. Taking more breaths, she tried to calm herself, all the time glaring at her opponent who had snatched a fall from her.

Brushing her hair from her brow, Akane tried not to let her elation show for having got the first fall. It had been very close to her being the fall behind. She couldn't let that happen again.

Ref Hebner called again for contestant readiness and the girls nodded before the whistle blew again.

Again, Akane tried to charge in, trying to close inside the range of the large weapon Ukyo wielded, and also now fully aware of Ukyo's capacity for ranged attacks. Ukyo grimaced and started spinning the spatula in an active shielding motion, using her off hand to jab out with additional blocks.

It wasn't a wide hole in the defense, but Akane didn't miss it, as the spatula moved on its outside arc, and when it happened again, she took advantage. One hand each grabbed Ukyo's arms, pushing them back and pinning them, the new angle stopping the twirl of the spatula as the shorter girl pulled Ukyo against her and tried to squeeze her into submission.

Glancing up, Akane's eyes widened as Ukyo smiled back at her, arching her back. From the chest of her blue sequined jacket, two black clouds emerged into Akane's face, and open brown eyes. The shorter girl dropped Ukyo, flipping back as the pain stung her eyes shut. Hearing Ukyo's spatula swing to the fore, Akane jumped back again, desperate to reach the ropes as a point of reference as she tried to blink the pain from her eyes.

"Hot plate flip!"

Akane didn't see the red line flow down the spatula as it swung upwards from a low angle towards the retreating girl, but she felt the blast of rolling hot wind flow over her, raising her up, and back, to finally crash on the ground outside the ring, before the announcers table.

* * *

Ranma shifted agitatedly as he watched Akane getting up, his hands gripping tightly to the ends of the towel hanging around his neck. As she seemed okay, he calmed, though he did keep a slouch in his shoulders from the setback of his student. He looked at his side to Konatsu, the cross dressing ninja also looking a little glum. "That black stuff? One of your pepper bomb boobs?" He asked, referring to a weapon the ninja had previously used upon him.

"Similar yes, though Ukyo-sama had to make adjustments."

Watching Akane climb back in the ring, he smiled. "Good combo attack for her. You two and Junko training together must be paying off some."

The dark haired bishonen man nodded, relaxing some, "Thank you Ranma-san." He replied a little uncomfortably.

* * *

The whistle of the judges blew again and the action started immediately, with the two girls closing again with fierce attacks. "Sakura's games with the fight roster ain't helping. I was really hoping Ukyo and Akane could be friends, but now they're thinking of each other as the enemy."

Konatsu nodded, "Affairs involving the heart and friendship never end well," he sighed out in a feminine voice. Ranma's towel hit him in the face.

"You watch too many soaps on TV."

* * *

Akane and Ukyo struggled to get the upper hand, Akane's strength cancelled by the chef's reach and skill, neither giving the other the opportunity to get into a rhythm of attack. Fierce kicks and punches, failed to find their mark, as swipes and strikes were diverted into empty air. Spin kicks flared as lunges were made, strikes either leapt over or ducked under. Both girls were sweating and breathing hard as the pace never slackened.

Ukyo stepped back in a quick lunge, bring her spatula up in an arching cut to try and open space, Akane bending backwards to duck under it.

Under Akane's foot, the ring shifted.

The heir to the Tendo school of Anything Goes Martial Arts held herself upright but was left open to the spatula as its edge grazed her elbow. Rolling with the grazing the corner of the blade slammed into her ribs with a tearing sound. Continuing her roll, Akane went down as the spatula went up, her red top tearing free of her shoulders and going with the weapon.

Ukyo stepped back as she finished the swing then pulled back to guard position, the red cloth of Akane's shirt going with the momentum to float out of the ring. Akane regained her balance, her arms crossing her chest as the males of the crowd cheered and whistled. Adjusting her black sports bra to make sure she was still as clothed as possible, Akane glared up at Ukyo, but saw her looking back at her with wide eyes, embarrassed for her.

Holding up her hand to show she wasn't fighting, Ukyo moved to the ring edge above the shirt and pointed down to it, "Hey Ref, pass it back in."

Eru Hebner was already moving to retrieve the shirt when Ranma rushed down the ramp, holding a towel and moving towards the shirt. Intercepting both men came one of the producers in his headset. "Saotome, back up the ramp. You're not involved here. Hebner, you know the rules, any items that fall from the ring are out for the fight."

Little could be made out of the four complaints from the two girls in the ring, Ranma and Ref Hebner.

* * *

Nabiki clenched her fist around the device in her bag, watching Kuno as his jaw worked in horror at what had befallen his bride. Akane's angry yelling with the others jolted him out of neutral and into gear.

Before he had risen a foot, Nabiki touched her 'insurance' policy to his neck and triggered the device.

#Zat#

A blue white spark flash seared twin marks into his neck as he jolted, hair flaring straight out from his head and body, and then he collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Nabiki smiled at those around her looking with faces of disbelief, raising the stun gun to her mouth and blowing across the electrodes, before returning the device to her bag, her dark eyes turning back to the spectacle below.

* * *

The crowd murmured as the fight failed to proceed while more producers appeared arguing over the rules and the shirt.

"The rules were agreed upon by the fighters before entering the ring, any items, not just tools, that fall from the ring cannot be retrieved till the bout is concluded. Saotome, leave the fight area immediately or be disqualified. Hebner, have the fighters begin again or you're fired!"

Both Ranma and Ref Hebner looked angrily back at the lead producer, Ranma then looking up at Akane for a moment, his eyes telling her he was ready to be disqualified, but she shook her head. He moved away, standing at the very base of the ramp, apparently not willing to return back stage yet.

Ukyo was just as unhappy with the decision as the others, though the silent communication between teacher and student burned under her skin, and she moved back to a ready position for the match to restart, her desire to defeat Akane rising again.

As Akane readied herself, her guard a little closer in than previous, her face red, trying to focus her thoughts away from the fact she was on national TV in her bra.

The whistle blew again and both girls moved in fast, each with reason to make a quick victory. This time, Ukyo quickly showed a clear advantage, as Akane kept her arms tight in, attacking more with her legs and trying to dodge Ukyo's counters more than block, robbing her of controlling her balance and the direction of the fight.

A swift smack from Ukyo's spatula caught her across the temple, spinning her away from her opponent and open to take another two kicks to the midriff and thigh before managing to roll out and gain some breathing room.

Her brown eyes flashing angrily, Akane knew Ukyo wasn't going to bother with any more exploding Okonomiyaki, not as long as she was holding herself back from fighting effectively. It was only a matter of time before she got brained by that spatula and she'd be left defeated in her bra on TV, before Ranma. As her mind focused through on Ranma, his cocky voice reminding her that the best way to eliminate a weakness can be to play it as a strength.

Ukyo closed in again, swiping with her weapon, trying to play Akane's close guard to her advantage again, and it was working. The opening came in short order, and the spatula came in with crushing force over her right shoulder. Even should Akane manage to get her left forearm up to block the blow it would impact her head again. As the flat came down, Akane ducked with it, striking up with her left hand towards the metal sheet of the weapon.

The weapon came down on Akane's index finger, and instantly stopped. Ukyo looked with startled eyes at Akane, who smiled wickedly and came back up. The force she had robbed from the weapon with Grandfather's trick reversed back into the weapon and spun the handle free of Ukyo's grip and into her waiting hands. Before Ukyo could really comprehend what had happened, her own weapon crashed on her skull, and in a dazed state, she was scooped up and tossed, weapon and all, from the ring.

The crowd cheered and Akane 'whooped' in elation at the victory, jumping up and punching the air.

The black sports bra, clipped by the spatula in the loss of the shirt, broke the last of the seams, Akane's eyes widening as she felt the elastic opening, her eyes down the barrel of one of the cameras recording her actions as her hands desperately come down... and landed on a pair of strong hands.

Glancing up over her shoulder, she saw Ranma smile down at her and quickly pulled his hands free, leaving her holding the towel he had covered her with. Blushing slightly, he jumped from the ring down to Ukyo. "Hey Ucchan, you okay?"

He didn't get any further as the producers and refs began to argue again.

* * *

Nabiki patted Kuno's unconscious form, smiling as Akane and Ranma left the ring. "Too bad Kuno-baby, I guess Akane doesn't need you for her hero today. She's got all she needs."

* * *

Victorious, Akane dodged past Ranma and the producers back stage, thankfully spotting Sena leading Kasumi and Nodoka in. She rushed up to the three of them, holding out the remains of her shirt with the hand not holding her towel around her. "Can you fix it?"

Nodoka smiled, "Of course. Congratulations on your fight."

"Thanks, though I don't think I want to ever see how bad the camera's covered it," her blush reached new reds as she thought of how bad it could be, and how bad it could have been save not for Ranma.

The boy in question turned up, looking a little irritable. "Hey Mom, Kasumi. You two gonna help fix Akane's shirt?"

Nodding, Kasumi looked beyond him at the men he walked away from. "Was there a problem with what happened? That man seems to have upset you?"

Ranma glanced where Kasumi gestured towards the producer he had been arguing with. "Nah, they just upset that they don't have any letch shots of Akane. They'll probably warn everyone now that if they go down ringside without permission they'll be disqualified. They threatened tossing both Akane and me out because I entered the ring before Ref Hebner called Akane the winner, but it was an empty threat to lose both of us after that fight and the way they hyping up me against pig-boy."

Following the pigtailed boys gaze shift, Akane saw where Junko and Konatsu were preparing each other for their fights. Putting on his ninja mask, the cross dresser's eyes darted towards the first aid room where Doctor Tofu was looking at Ukyo's bruises. Ranma waved and gave the ninja a thumbs up, which Konatsu returned.

"Will he win?" His mother prodded.

"Yeah, that kid he's fighting was plain lucky to get through to day two, he needs loads more training to take Konatsu. Which means next round we fight each other." He said glumly.

"Assuming that you win your fight, Ranma. Pride comes before a fall." Akane teased.

Ranma grinned cockily, "Nah, I got one of those clowns from Asiko dojo, he won't even make me try." He turned and gave an exaggerated leer at Akane who seemed to have forgotten that she was still just clad in a towel from the waist up. "Can I borrow the towel?"

Her face again reddening, she put on a weak glare, "Pervert," before gathering Nodoka and Kasumi off to the girls change rooms to try and fix her outfit.

* * *

Nabiki watched with detachment as another bout passed by, a fast moving ninja in a blue tunic dispatching a young man in more traditional dojo gi in short order, efficiently bundling the young man into the mat.

Her interest was anywhere but the ring, her thoughts more on the first fight of the Man in Black, her minds eye trying to recall the actions of the 'manager' aside from making sure his charge got to and from the ring. This Ohata knew how to play to the cameras, but he certainly wasn't concerned about the fight.

A groaning from the floor made her look down, a smile coming to her mouth as Kuno groggily tried to stand. "Welcome back Kuno baby, you'll be happy to know Akane managed to win her fight."

She didn't need to hear his words to know he hadn't really caught up yet, "Huh?"

Shaking her head she looked to the ramp as a dark haired girl in a black jumpsuit and green sash came down.

* * *

Ranma looked to Cologne as they, Ukyo, Akane, and Sena crowded around one of the back stage TV sets showing the second competitor, Junko, entering the ring.

"You warned her not to go to far didn't you?"

The old woman in the nurse's outfit smiled toothily, "I told her to have fun out there, though we both know that she considers victory to be the most fun she can have. Without you that is."

"If she..."

His reply was cut off with the old woman's voice dropping dangerously, "If my great granddaughter wanted that girl hurt over the incident with Mouse she would have been hurt by now. She's the one with the problem with Shampoo. You, Groom, shouldn't have been helping that girl to redevelop her family style, it's a waste if she can't let go of grudges against her betters"

Ranma snorted at the old woman, "You should be the one talking about grudges, you wouldn't be here if Shampoo hadn't chased me over most of ASIA over that kiss of death crap!"

"And look what a powerful husband she's gotten for her trouble," Cologne quipped as one of the producers rushed over, trying to shush them all.

Akane rolled her eyes as she heard Ranma muttering about not being anyone's husband under his breath as Cologne smiled and backed away to the other side of Tofu and Sena to watch the fight on the screen.

The whistle blew in the area and Junko and Shampoo closed quickly, Junko dodging one of Shampoo's bombori mace strikes to try a swift spin kick but neither girl managed to tag the other, and the fight raged on.

Akane glanced at Ranma's intense face then back at the monitor. "So why doesn't Junko like Shampoo? Aside from the obvious?"

A smirk crest his lips, though if it was at her comment or because Junko managed to lock her ankles on the shaft of one of the bonbori Shampoo was wielding and break it from her grasp she wasn't sure. "I told you how she was trying to teach herself her family style from scrolls, at the time I mentioned the best training is fighting, and if she was trying to get serious experience at using her family style, she needed to fight others with it. So she started challenging other martial artists, eventually of course, she challenged Shampoo. Shampoo agreed and gave her several beatings but Junko kept coming back for more. One time Shampoo made her agree that if she lost, she would dress like an Amazon for a week."

"No one knew that Shampoo had gotten really annoyed with Mouse and started teasing him with a red dress. When they fought, Shampoo nearly fell for a neat grapple trick, but Shampoo was too strong and managed to reverse it and win. As part of dressing up as an Amazon, Shampoo gave Junko the red dress and kept luring her near Mouse who with his bad eyes thought Junko was Shampoo and kept grabbing her, especially with Shampoo leading him on then setting them up together. When it all came out Junko got Mouse to dress up as me and tried to get Shampoo to publicly kiss him, only it rained so there was no kiss. Since then they been at each others throats with Shampoo leading on and teasing any guy Junko shows an interest in while Junko keeps posting the local Chinese newspaper at Shampoo's village about any defeat she has and her inability to marry me."

Akane smirked a little and wondered how she might help Junko's efforts, but her focus returned to the match as both combatants clashed again, this time going down together in a heap.

* * *

Junko sweated in the black body stocking she wore as she clashed with Shampoo. The Amazon wasn't even breathing hard after they had exchanged some blows, while Junko was taking fast breaths after managing to wrench one of the bonbori's from her opponents grip and toss it from the ring.

Shampoo grinned as she controlled the fight, letting the girl take her weapon at a high cost in blows. Moving in, she swung again in a wide arc at waist height on Junko, before turning the hilt in first in defense and closing up with a left kick, Junko stumbled back desperately unbalanced, her eyes widening as Shampoo released one hand from her weapon with a punch to her face.

Underfoot, the mat shifted, Shampoo's ankle starting to roll in with her body weight, but the Amazon stopped her momentum and didn't fall, her fist falling short of Junko's cheek but managed to flick through the Japanese girls hair as she darted back, her ornately done dark hair uncoiling messily.

Surprised that Sakura's people were interfering in this fight, Junko frowned, slightly miffed that they thought of her as the easier beat for Sakura out of the two of them. The Amazon was better but that didn't mean she wanted others thinking so. Shaking her head to make her dark hair straighten down her back like a tail, she charged in again, hoping to get a hand on the taller Chinese girl, months ago she hadn't been strong enough to wrestle Shampoo down, but that was then.

Shampoo smiled darkly as she hedged out the girl with her remaining weapon, letting the pest of a girl tire herself out, but the smile faulted slightly with confusion as the girl swept her body low under the weapon, her hands reaching up to grasp at her wrist. Knowing she had the strength, she lifted the girl bodily up by raising her arm and let fly with a blistering kick to the midsection that drove the wind from her.

Exhaling and folding with the kick to her gut, Junko knew she needed to take the blow for this to work, folding herself up around Shampoos leg with her legs and abdomen, throwing her weight out to force Shampoo off balance and the pair went down to the mat.

Still trying to understand her opponent's tactics, Shampoo lost her advantage in the grapple, and found her arms bent back, levered by the shaft of her bonbori. Her feet slipped on the mat, trying to get traction. Extending her leg, she weakly kicked at Junko's face, the dark haired Japanese girl smiling as it came out more like a caress.

"That all you got? Tap out." Junko demanded with an air of superiority to cover the strain of holding the leverage lock against her stronger opponent.

The purple haired girl grimaced back over her shoulder. "No tap to weak girl." The foot came up again and she cried out in Chinese, and there was a flash of light.

The camera's caught the flash of light from Shampoo's foot, as Junko flinched back away, releasing enough of her power for Shampoo to spring free and roll to her feet. Junko backed up, hand over her face, defenseless as Shampoo closed and kicked her legs out from under her before going for the pin.

* * *

Ranma groaned as Shampoo broke the hold and seized Junko into the mat for a pin count. "Hey, old ghoul. That her twenty stabbing stars technique?"

Cologne bounced up grinning. "That girl has some skill. No talent for grapples but some skills."

"You didn't answer my question, old bat."

The ancient woman smile, "You can ask her yourself after the fight."

The blowing of the whistle showed the fighters were restarting for the second fall, returning Ranma's attention to the screen. Junko still looked shaky on her feet, but lunged to the side leaving a wide kick in her place as Shampoo approached, the violet haired girl jumping over the attack then over Junko. Even as the Chinese girl landed, her hands blurred, gathering the released locks of the girl's hair and lathering quickly from a bottle in her hand. Rinsed, blow dry, and combed, in a total of forty seconds, a dazed Junko was easily lifted over the ring ropes to drop to her feet outside the ring.

Ukyo, Konatsu and Akane were all waiting as Doctor Tofu led Junko through the curtain to back stage as one of the producers pushed Ranma out the same, his theme music blaring as the crowd cheered. The short Japanese girl looking dazed and confused as she looked at them. "But what happened with my fight? Wasn't it next?"

Tofu shook his head sadly. "The legendary Xi Fong Gow technique, it locks certain memories away. It looks like Shampoo used it on Junko to make her forget the fight had started, so she was completely unprepared to fight, just as if Shampoo had walked up to her in the street and struck her from behind."

"Wait, you mean it's over? I lost?" demanded Junko.

"I think the formula label of the shampoo was caught on the cameras, but it will take me a couple hours to mix up a batch and undo the procedure."

Shaking her head with disbelief, Akane tried to recall the vague details Ranma had told her of this technique, which at the time had seemed more like a joke than an offensive move. The idea that she could make another forget an event, or a person with such ease was highly intimidating, especially as she was Shampoo's next opponent. She looked to the Doctor, "So she has no idea what that first technique Shampoo used to break her pin was? At least till after the tournament?"

"Hello, I'm right here, what technique? What pin?"

The Doctor leaned over Junko looking at her face. "No Akane, but I don't think it was a normal ki attack. Junko's face isn't bruised at all, and there are no major points for ki flow in the toes, any such ki attacks would be much less powerful than created in a cupped palm, or even from the souls of the feet."

"What's wrong with my face!" Junko demanded, patting it down.

Rolling her eyes, Ukyo grabbed Junko's arm. "Come on Junko, let's see if we can find a someone to play the replay of your fight". Her eyes narrowed, as she looked at Akane, angry but not vengeful over the defeat. "I think I'd rather forget my loss too."

* * *

Akane rolled her eyes as she saw Ranma mocking the fighter from the Asiko dojo. In most fights Ranma let his opponent at least look good, if only to give them a few chances to show off advance techniques that he might not know. But she had known in the wake of yesterdays attempt to cheat by the best fighter of the Asiko dojo and the cover up arranged by Master of the Asiko dojo, that Ranma didn't respect that school or its students. She had heard from Junko that Ohata had once been top fighter of that dojo, and she still didn't know what history between Ohata and Ranma had them at such odds, but all that and more was being directed on the last remaining male student of the Asiko dojo in the ring.

She winced as Ranma started chatting to Ref Hebner in the middle of the match, his opponent struggling in the middle of the ring to free himself from his stomach, his arms and feet hog tied with his own black belt.

"Akane Tendo?"

Akane turned to look at who called her name, seeing the Chinese boy Mouse standing out of arms reach without his glasses on and several bruises on his head.

"Yes Mouse, did something happen to you?"

He smiled and sighed with relief. "Ah good, I was just trying to find you and kept running into my beloved Shampoo who doesn't like me calling her by your name."

"Er, understandable, but why not put your glasses on?"

He blushed, "I only have a couple pair left and want to save them for fighting Saotome."

She nodded, recalling watching his first fight of the day against one of the Shishimi delivery boys in which his opponent kept stealing his glasses to try and use his blindness against him. "So why where you looking for me?"

"Oh yes, you may not know it but Saotome has a problem with cats, something I must admit I find amusing and thankful for as that has kept him and Shampoo well apart despite her efforts. But I noticed some boys trying to bring cats into one of the storage areas."

"What? Where!"

* * *

Toko smiled as he brought in a gray tabby and put it into the box. He glanced at Tetsuya, another of Ohata's gang. "That makes seventeen, if we rush them out there is no way security could stop them before Saotome sees one and freaks out on camera." He sniggered as Tetsuya laughed like a true sycophant, pushing the around the boxes and ignoring the cat yawls.

Standing on the crate he got up to the window and looked down at one of the other members of Ohata's followers still outside. "That's great Kenju, now use that pass to get in here and we'll set them up."

The door opened, drawing Toko's attention.

Kenju watched the open window above him for a moment when Toko turned away, listening as best he could.

"What do you want, Tendo?"

"I want you," replied Akane's voice, before it was replaced by something more guttural and dark, "to leave Ranma, ALONE!"

The screeches of cats cried out with that of boys before they started being flung out the window. Two fainted boys landed on the grass outside, wet stains on the front of their pants, as sixteen cats scattered away from the building.

* * *

Her lips felt awful dry as Desaku Misu, of the Asiko Dojo, watched her opponent enter the ring. She felt lucky to have made it to the semi-final rounds, but now she faced one of Ranma Saotome's 'girls', and whether they were his sisters, girlfriends, or fiancées, every one of them was known for martial arts ability. Her eyes looked over the blonde girl in the leather dress entering the room. Aside from a known habit of cheating, she was actually thankful it was Sakura, if she faced that Chinese woman she'd be trying not to pee herself.

"I've made it this far, I've made it this far." She chanted to herself under her breath. She had indeed made it father than any other member of her dojo, male or female. The dreamer in her wanted to win and go on to the finals, but right now, she'd settle for going out in the least humiliating way possible.

As the referees called for readiness, she bowed to them and the judges, then to her opponent.

As the whistle shrilled, she charged.

Sakura Shishimi smiled.

* * *

Ranma winced as he watched the last Asiko dojo fighter come through the curtain back stage on a stretcher, Doctor Tofu shaking his head as he prodded her ankle walking beside the stretcher.

"Stay light on your feet, that ring is nasty," he said shaking his head to Mousse. Seeing Akane glare at the curtain, he saw Sakura returning back stage with an air of innocence and concern for her opponent who had tripped on the 'flat' mat of the ring during an initial charge, bloodying her nose and twisted her ankle so bad she had to withdraw from the event. Sakura hadn't even needed to throw a punch.

Mousse was looking through his thick glasses across the way, where the man in the black hood, was throwing his punches into the air in warm up. "Remember Mousse, you don't have to beat him down, use the rules to your advantage."

"I am aware of this Saotome, he might have succeeded against me in the past, but this time I will defeat him."

"That's the attitude," Ranma smirked as the stage hands waved Mousse and the Man in Black over, and started each in turn down the ramp.

"Think he'll win?" Akane asked turning to the screens to watch the fight.

"Nah, he's gonna get creamed."

* * *

"And there's the whistle, this match is under way!" cried Jimmu into his announcers mike.

Shogun nodded as he watched, "That's right, and this was a battle many were hoping to see, Muu Tzu with his inscrutable Chinese weapons style against the unstoppable force of the man in the black hood. Both true contenders of this tournament."

"A dangerous battle that only one of these men will walk away from, we see here Muu Tzu using a swinging chain to lash at his opponent while staying out of reach, but I think its only a matter of time before we see some grappling here, and I doubt Muu Tzu can compete against this juggernaut." The crowd roared as the pace of the fight changed, "Oh that was close, the man in black grabbing that chain and trying to drag his opponent to him like a fish on the line, his fingers just missing the white robes of his opponent."

In the ring, Mousse cried an attack in Chinese, Shogun jumping in on his microphone, "Wow, another Chinese special attack, oh but this is not good, white clouds have filled the ring, we can't see anything and it doesn't look like the judges are impressed." Inside the clouded ring another Chinese attack was called.

"Hard to be impressed by what you can't judge Shogun!"

* * *

Mousse raised his arms as he cried his 'White Plume Blast!', blasting a jet from each arm into his opponents masked face, jumping back he followed it with the 'White Plume Strike!', tossing the emptied fire extinguishes at where his opponents head was, hearing one of two clunks and a grunt of pain.

Laughing out loud, he jumped backwards, hearing the thumping feet of his opponent charging him. His legs cleared the ring ropes as he slid claws from his sleeves, his feet catching the ring apron as his claw caught the rope, the crowd cheering as he emerged from the white smoked ring, leaning out using his weight to drag the top rope down.

The man in black came billowing out of the smoke, his eyes watering, legs catching the lowered ring rope but dropping his knee he only teetered out of the cloud.

His tactic of letting the man in black charge from the ring failed, Mouse was completely open as he was punched off the side of the ring.

Standing as Ref Hebner blew his whistle, Mousse looked down at the broken remains of his last pair of glasses. Looking up at the figure in the ring, he knew this was not going to be easy.

Entering the ring, the white smoke all but gone, he bowed to the crowd as the man in black did to the judges and considered quickly his tactical options. As the whistle blew he knew he was going to have to keep dodging and hope for a chance to throw the man in the black mask out of the ring.

When his opponent cried out "Shi Shi Hokodan!" and jetted an incredible ball of energy straight up, he watched it widen out as it came down. There was going to be nowhere in the ring to dodge to.

* * *

The cat calls and whistles amid the cheering crowd had made Akane grimace at the perverts when she had come down the ramp, but when they continued as her opponent strode down the ramp to the ring she grimaced even more, that insecure part of her wondering if they were any louder for the purple haired bimbo over her.

Shampoo moved with deliberate slowness as climbed into the ring, her eyes predatorily eyeing up Akane from her pretty, war painted face. Going even slower as she crossed the ring ropes, looking for reaction in Akane's brown eyes as the crowd howled for the girl straddling the ropes.

With a smile she waved out to the crowd, completely turning her back on Akane in a deliberate act of disrespect for her opponent, her smile reaching her eyes as she heard the Japanese girl's teeth grind over the crowd. With a shake of her head snaking her hair tails around her, she faced Akane, eyeing her up lazily.

The smacking of Hebner's hand on the mat got Akane's attention off her glaring and back into the moment as the ref asked if both opponents were ready. With a board act, Shampoo lazily replied in the affirmative, slowly joining Akane in bowing to the judges.

The two faced off, Akane tight and tense, as Shampoo took a ready pose, then idly examined her glittering nail polish. As Hebner's whistle blew, Shampoo's eyes focused over her nails at Akane and she licked her lips, moving in, slowly circling towards Akane.

Anger surged through Akane and she gave up trying to control it, charging forward with a cry, pushing her emotions into her fists and feet. Shampoo danced around a fast kick, blocking a follow up punch that flowed into a twist around to another Tendo style strike. Dancing back, Shampoo let Akane drive her back into the ring ropes before blocking a strike with crossed arms, her hands and flicking towards Akane, ki flowing into the mystical paint on her nails, the glitter bursting with light.

The flash of light danced straight into Akane's pupils, both dark dots inside the brown vanishing, shutting tight as they tried to recover, the after image of the flash pulsing behind her eyelids. Shampoo's first hit took her across the jaw, the second was a slamming kick to the unprotected stomach that threw her to the ropes across the ring.

Gasping for breath, desperately trying to breathe through her ribs rather than with her unresponsive diaphragm, Akane rolled to her knees in time to take another kick to the side of the head. Over the moans and cries of the crowd, she couldn't hear Shampoo's approach as the Chinese girl kicked her supporting arm from under her and stood on her chest.

She barely heard Hebner slapping the mat and calling out, once, twice, but she got one shoulder up before the third hit lost her the first fall of the match. Opening her watering and bleary eyes she had just enough time to make out the purple figure and block one kick, but the second strike, a punch that she caught, opened into another flash that again stole her sight, the next blow dazing her, leaving her unable to recognize Ref Hebner's voice as he counted her out for the first fall.

* * *

The television set failed to catch Shampoo's laughter as she beat down on Akane like a punching bag, but Ranma's white knuckles filled in a cracking in their place as the first fall was awarded to Shampoo. Kasumi was facing away from the screen as Nodoka held her shoulders, whispering how her sister was strong and that it looked worse than it was.

"You needn't worry," cackled Colognes withered old voice, "Shampoo won't permanently damage a friend of her future husband."

Ranma glared at the old woman in the nurse's uniform before looking back at the images on the screen. Akane had sat up and was wiping at her eyes, obviously trying to clear them so she could continue, as the announcers commented on the brutality of Shampoo's style.

"She's still got another fall before this is over. With a fresh start she has a chance against whatever blindness trick this is," he said to his mother and Kasumi. He glanced over at Cologne, "Is that all it is, a blindness trick?"

The old woman eyed him. "You tell me, Son in law."

He looked back at the screen, as the commentators replayed the attack Shampoo used before brutalizing Akane. He thought out loud, like a student to the master, "The primary ki path out in the palms is right out the center, so it's hard, unnecessary work to push any real power to the finger tips like that. If you could make a ki attack into a blindness strike, it would be just as easy as to push it out the palms... unless you couldn't do a normal ki attack, then you'd need a short cut, some of your magic crap to short cut the attack, but she wasn't wearing anything on her hands... the nail polish! This twenty stabbing stars is just a bit of magic paint, ain't it? It's a cheat!"

Cologne shook her head, covering any pride she held for the talent of the boy. "It's a tool. A weapon. A bit more sophisticated than a bonbori, I'll grant you, but nothing more."

Frowning he didn't reply, turning back to the screen as Hebner's whistle blew, signaling the start of the second round.

Now it was Cologne's turn to have an angry voice as the crowd collectively gasped outside. Ranma didn't know Chinese, especially the Amazon's sub dialect, but he did know the word 'idiot' in it, and smiled as Cologne said it watching her great grand daughter on the screen.

"Pride comes before the fall, huh, old ghoul?"

* * *

Akane rubbed again at her eyes as Shampoo acted on the whistle starting round two of their bout. The Chinese girl had turned her back on her, walked to the ropes, climbed over, and jumped out of the ring.

Over the muttering of the crowd and judges, the purple haired fighter strode to the judges table and poured herself a glass of water, turning to face Akane and took a sip with a smile.

Hebner finally blew his whistle, the scoreboard updating to one fall each, Shampoo voluntarily throwing away a point. Hebner spoke slowly at the Chinese girl, trying to make her understand what her action had cost her, quickly realizing that she knew full well as the girl looked back at Akane still standing in the ring.

The heir of a martial art tradition, Akane didn't need the translation either. Shampoo had put her honor and that of the Anything Goes School even further on the line by giving away her margin of safety to victory in this round. If she lost this next fall in front of these cameras, Japan would know that Akane Tendo was far from in the same league of martial arts as this Chinese ditz.

The ditz in question smirked and put her glass of water down and stepped around Hebner to return to the ring. "Pervert girl ready to finish? Shampoo have to pack sleep clothes for trip with Ranma."

"You mean your date with Mouse, don't you Bimbo?" she returned, seething with anger at her treatment. Focusing on her breath, she tried to calm down, mentally working through her options of how to seal down the girls fingers and stop the blindness attacks and make it a fair fight.

She didn't have long before Hebner called to ask if the competitors were ready to fight, and not throw away any more falls, and when both nodded, he blew his whistle to start the third and final round between the two.

Akane wasted no time, rushing in and opening with lashing strikes from her fist, her upper body weaving back and forth, her eyes closing as Shampoo stabbed her fingers towards her face, crying out her attack. Driving the taller girl back, the heir of the Tendo Ryu lashed out her hands over Shampoos right hand, twisting the fingers down and over, trying to hold the first closed.

Shampoo laughed at the Japanese girl's poor tactic, pushing her free hand into her face, watching her eyes close. Breathing and focusing, the Chinese girl burned more of her power into her hand, keeping a beam of white light going from her fingertips at Akane's eyes, stepping forward into the shorter girl, bringing up a knee into her undefended stomach.

A smile tugged at her lips as Akane rolled with the knee, her head weaving occupying Shampoo's focus in aiming her technique, a fist shooting up and knocked Shampoo's hand back into her own face. Her long hair flicked as she flinched, her own blinding attack turned back on her, before feeling Akane close over her other hand, locking both fingers back, sacrificing her own hands to keep Shampoo's special attack out of the fight.

The pair began lashing kicks at each other, knees blocking knees as they awkwardly fought, Akane trying to twist the taller girl into a throw over her head being blocked as Shampoo body checked her back a step that nearly broke free their hands. Akane grimaced as she tried to hold on, Shampoo smiling darkly back at her. One of Shampoo's long legs flicked out again, this time coming over their joined arms, pushing down trying to break them apart. Akane's face showed her strain as she held on, but Shampoo smiled and glanced down. Akane's eyes followed hers to Shampoo's foot, briefly spotting the same nail polish on her toes before the flash pierced her eyes.

Cursing as she broke their grip, Akane launched herself backwards, feeling the wind of a fist sliding past her ear. Continuing back, her eyes blinked rapidly trying to clear herself to strike again. A hooked kick took her legs, and she tried to roll with the fall, but Shampoo continued her spin to slam a second kick into her chest, knocking her over and onto her stomach.

Akane cursed again as another blow landed, desperately trying to feel the next attack before it landed so she at least try and defend, but Shampoo would strike and withdraw, punishing blows where she could least expect them. The heir to the Tendo School desperately tried to think of any defenses in her owns school style, or anything that would slow Shampoo down from taking advantage of her weakness.

Just the thought of weakness made her feel all the pains in her body, knowing that she could just lay down and let Shampoo win. There would be other fights she could win. But this one would be on camera. This one was in front of Ranma. Her mind flitted through memories of victories, of Kuno, over Kodachi, over Natsumi and her sister Karumi, over Mariko, and time and again over the hentai horde at school.

Her brow furrowed at the last, there were times when she fought the boys that she struck without seeing them, there were always plenty to hit, but she always landed solid strikes. Drawing a breath she tried to recall that mindset.

"Furinkan High Pervert Storm!"

Shampoo frowned and kept her distance as Akane became a whirling dervish of motion, forgoing vain defense to strike out seemingly randomly in every direction, rolling bodily around the ring mat to launch up, changing and even reversing momentum in lashing blows. After watching the display the Chinese girl shrugged and leapt in, striking at the Japanese girls back with a vicious kick to the kidney.

Without thought Akane rolled the blow, turning with it and attacking into a cone area from where it came from, and once one blow landed, several followed it. Shampoo blocked what she could, retreating as the girl before her followed, a roll to the right breaking off their fast paced melee.

Once free, Akane continued lashing out, striking each direction, using a powerful relentless offence as a defense. Twice more, Shampoo attempting a strike against her flank or rear would find herself born down on with a storm of strikes.

Akane smiled as she gulped down breaths, feeling exhilarated to be back into the fight. Through watering eyes, she could just make out Shampoo, standing on one ring post looking down at her. "What's the... matter Shampoo? ... Your tricks... not working?" She got out between breaths.

Suppressing her breath down to an even rate, Shampoo smiled back at the girl, flicking her hair back over one shoulder. "No need trick, you no keep up much longer."

Nodding tiredly, Akane smiled darkly back up at her, the malice in her smile reaching her yellow, slitted eyes. "Then it's a good thing, IT ENDS NOW!"

For a moment, Shampoo thought the girl was rushing her, but then she realized it was just her head coming forward and swelling up, a wicked forked tongue lashing at her.

Shampoo, all the judges at their table, and an entire section of crowd leapt back six feet, many hiding behind vacated seats from the demonic head attack, as it withdrew back into Akane's natural pretty face. The tired girl hobbled to lean on the ring ropes and look down at Shampoo who stood on the judges table, the horror of the demon head attack still on her face, her hands up with warding gestures. Gaining some composure, she glared back at Akane. "Pervert girl is very ugly when angry."

"Maybe, but fortunately I don't have to be angry about much, now that I'm in the final."

The horror dawned on Shampoo's face again as Ref Hebner's whistle made its final shrill call of the match, Shampoo standing out of the ring again costing her a second fall.

* * *

A wave to Ranma was all the time Akane had as she left the main area to back stage before she was intercepted by a cameraman and well-dressed interviewer with a microphone. "Ms Tendo, let me congratulate you on your victory. Many would consider it was sheer luck that you have gotten to the final today, after all, your opponent did throw away one fall, and fled your follow up fearsome battle aura attack for the second. Do you think you are lucky?"

Akane's first emotion was to frown, anger rising for this man who was robbing her victory of its glory. Instead, some acting drive inside her turned her dark eyes to look directly into the camera. "You could say that I got lucky, but just because Shampoo made it too easy for me to knock her out of this tournament, doesn't mean I couldn't have beaten her." She placed her black sunglasses on, still facing the camera, "The only one who needs to feel lucky is Sakura, after all, if Shampoo was better than me, and I already know I am that much better than her, she is the lucky one. A lottery is the only thing she'd win today."

Following out to back stage, Shampoo's face showed her fury as she saw Akane playing for the camera after her victory. The cameraman turned on the angry woman, Cologne pounding up on her staff with angry Chinese words. Finally, the purple haired girl nodded to her elder, then glared back at Akane, "Next fight, no silly rules!"

With that she stormed off, Akane giving a dark confident smile that belied the weight in her stomach.

Shaking his head at the words from Akane to the interviewer flaring the growing rivalry between his student and one of his fiancées, Ranma looked to his opponent warming up nearby.

"You ready Konatsu?" he asked, with a cocky grin.

"I am Saotome-san. I must admit I am nervous for our friendship over this fight."

Nodding his pigtailed head, Ranma looked Konatsu in the eye, "Hey, if you get lucky, you get lucky. We both have to give our best to win, right? I want to win at least at much as you, but I don't want ta win because a friend laid down for me."

His grin turned cocky again, "You think you can kick my ass out there, you kick it."

* * *

"Me and my big mouth," Ranma muttered to himself as he dodged back from his ninjitsu using opponent.

Rubbing at the sore spots on his ribs, he lamented that he should really learn to respect the term 'Greatest' when it applied to his opponents in their chosen field. Even when it applied to a guy as the greatest female ninja of this generation.

He hadn't felt it, but Konatsu's initial blows had been fast and precise, targeted at his low ribs, the bruising blows robbing his lung capacity, compounding the effect of pepper bombs hidden in the blue tunic the kunoichi had borrowed from his employer.

Ranma had delivered some counter blows but he knew he was behind the ball on this one. Diving back, he raised his arms as his opponent unleashed a small blizzard of cooking spatulas, the ninja's arm movements creating a guiding wind that carried them spinning in on the pigtailed martial artist, he dove high just as the weapons came upon him.

Stepping under his landing point, Konatsu tried to dive back when Ranma cast two of the spatula blades back, obviously snatched from the air in the Ninja's attack, each landing into the mat, pinning the ninja's soft shoes down. Leaning back, the ninja fell onto his back, a short-shafted spear sliding out of his sleeve, his arms locking in the joints to hold it out. Ranma scissored his legs, one landing on the mat and the other on the ropes, holding him off the point just an inch from his privates.

"Hey!" he yelled as the crowd groaned at the near miss, half the crowd clenching groin muscles in sympathy.

Diving off, Ranma backed away, giving time to the ninja to tear his shoes free and rolled to his own feet.

Breathing labouredly, the pair watched each other for a long moment before Ranma nodded and charged forward, practice punches aiming to test Konatsu's defenses, seeking an opening, but his opponent charged silently into the blows.

'I know this trick,' he thought to himself as his eyes half closed, feeling his way through the feint. The manikin bust wearing the blue tunic falling before him as he struck out where he felt the ninja's battle aura dodge to the right side trying to flank around him. His punch caught the ninja on the chin, dropping him dazed to the mat, leaving him vulnerable to being pinned for a count of three.

* * *

Four women crowded around a monitor back stage, watching the two martial artists battle it out. Nodoka had enough decorum not to cheer as her son made for the first fall. Junko shook her head and sighed between Kasumi and Sena as they watched the announcers comment on the win and prepare to restart for the second round of the fight.

Sena looked to the girl beside her, "Why the sigh, Junko?"

"Oh, just for Konatsu. He really tried hard in practice but maybe Ukyo and I took advantage of a weakness too often in training. He's holding back and trying to be flashy."

Over the screen, the whistle shrilled to announce the start of round two.

Nodoka smiled gently, "My husband would say it is best to fight through ones weakness. Anything Goes martial arts are about victory through any means. Don't feel guilty because he fears his weakness."

"I wouldn't feel so guilty if he wasn't so embarrassing for him," she said sadly.

* * *

Ranma's eyes narrowed as Konatsu charged him, the ninja throwing his body at him.

'You wouldn't try the same trick twice would you Konatsu?', the pigtailed fighter thought to himself as he ignored the manikin dummy the ninja dropped in his face to occupy his eyes, his fighting spirit feeling this time to the left for the fight aura, kicking out at what he felt when the he was clubbed in the side of the head from the right.

Konatsu breathed deeply as he tried to recover from the focus of his false battle aura adaptation of his body double trick. Gulping air, he dove after Ranma where he had fallen to the mat after the blow to his temple. The pigtailed warrior not moving as Konatsu rolled him onto his back before going for the pin.

Ranma's smirking grin was on his opponents face when Konatsu realized he had put himself prone into the arms of a grappler. By the time the ninja got his bearings, his body had been twisted around, with great pressure put on his back in a potent submission move, but it was when something brushed his side that a chill went up his spine.

His brow furrowing, Ranma noticed the sudden jolt in his opponent's posture when his knee brushed the ninja's side. Had Ranma not been a regular masseuse, he probably wouldn't have even thought about it. Without even thinking about it, he dropped one hand and played his fingers over the slipper sole on Konatsu's foot.

Konatsu was very ticklish.

By the time Ranma realized how ticklish his opponent was and how he didn't want to tickle his opponent out of the fight, Konatsu was already tapping out.

Releasing him and helping the ninja to his feet, a bashful Ranma looked down before him. "I am so sorry man, I had no idea. Ucchan said Junko had found your weakness but she didn't say what it was. We'll have to work on that, mate."

He could see the red of embarrassment around the ninja's exposed eyes as he nodded his agreement.

* * *

Ranma was still embarrassed for the ending of that fight as the pair retreated back stage, waving off an interviewer so he could get ready for the final round.

Akane took deep breaths, slowly inhaling then exhaling sharply as she gathered herself for the final.

Her eyes turned slightly to Ranma as he watched her silently preparing. He had again given his spiel on how Sakura liked to cheat and was positive she had something up her sleeve, despite making sure whichever of her opponents had made it through, they were worn down. She studied the line of his chin for a moment before realizing her breathing was losing rhythm and turned away.

The dark hooded and clothed fighter walked ahead as his unconscious opponent was carried out from the arena area on a stretched by Dr Tofu and another of the medical personnel on hand.

The stagehand waved her over to stand before the curtain, to be ready for her entrance to the arena and the next fight. She could faintly hear orders coming from the main control booth to the headphones the man wore, and she glanced back to where Sakura had confronted Ranma, the pig tailed boy obviously uncomfortable. The moment the dark and villainous tones the producers had picked for her began to blare out and the crowd called with cheers and some boos from beyond the curtain, Sakura looked over Ranma's shoulder, making eye contact with her with an overconfident look.

Her reply glare was cut off when the producer patted her a little too friendly-like on the lower back to get her attention and yelled for her to get out there. She speared him with a glare and put on Nabiki's black sunglasses and strode through the curtain, strutting onto the stage at the top of the ramp and posing for the cameras and crowd.

The noise of the crowd rose sharply, still smattered with feminine boos and a few cat whistles, and managed to remain at a decent level as she strutted in a sultry fashion down to the ring. With slow purposeful movement she entered the ring.

Her music stopped as Sakura's rang out, blaring trumpets beginning a more feminine version of Ranma's allocated theme music, making yet another claim on the heir to the Saotome half of the Anything Goes Martial Arts school.

She lazed against the ropes in the ring as the blonde strutted for the cameras in her black and gold leather fighting outfit. Her long blond braids glittered with gold flecking as she strode down under the bright lights till finally a bit before the end of the ramp to the stage and curtain, she burst forward into a series of athletic flips that finished with a bound that took her neatly over the ropes into the ring, landing in a ready combat stance facing Akane.

Akane looked down over the tops of her shades waiting for Referee Hebner to begin the match, removing them when the bald umpire in the black and white striped shirt asked each if they were ready to begin. Nodding and giving a slight bow to him and the judges, she faced and nodded only to Sakura who was meanwhile making a showing of a flushing bow to the judges and refs before a controlled formal bow to Akane.

Finally the whistle blew and Sakura smiled, "How would you like to be defeated, dear?" She called tauntingly. "Pinned, thrown out of the ring, or just knocked unconscious? Pick two for me?"

Her dark eyes narrowed as Akane watched Sakura, wondering what trick she had in store for her. Reaching behind her, she pulled out the gymnastics ribbon she had grabbed from earlier, and set it spinning, it would at least keep the distance while she tried to guess Sakura's plan.

Sakura laughed at Akane, her eyes still showing control as she brought out a pair of chopsticks in each hand. The blonde Japanese beauty smiled and took a deliberate step forward.

Akane knew that her reach advantage was turned to nothing if Sakura closed too deep in her reach, but at the same time Ranma had spoken of Sakura's strong defense with the chopsticks, which would likely make her lose her ribbon if she tried to stop it.

She gave a huff as she focused, she wasn't really interested in battling with Sakura in Rhythmic Gymnastics style but in finding out what this cheat the blonde had planned was. The best defense right now seemed to be a good offence, and if Sakura did come out with some super attack, she'd do her best to make sure Sakura did it on her terms at least.

With a battle cry she inverted the ribbon and held it up, letting the coils flash around her own body like a shield and charged forward. She smiled as Sakura suddenly showed fear at the charge, the blonde moving predictably to capture and stop the ribbon from hurting her and trying to rip the handle from Akane's grip, an effort that was all too easy as Akane released the baton like end and moved in with controlled power punches that could make powder of cinder blocks.

She managed to get one hit in on Sakura's shoulder before the blonde changed her defense, her hands blurring to catch every punch Akane tried and even the occasional kick. Though Sakura couldn't counter attack, she was smiling at the stalemate and Akane grew concerned that she was going to run out of steam before Sakura.

Taking in a deep breath she cried out the Chestnut roasting on open fire technique, Sakura replying with a look of concentration and her fists still were caught by the blurred chopsticks, now each catch trying to hold the fist and slow them down, ruining Akane's advanced move.

Finally Sakura stepped back and rolled to the side, gaining distance between the two fighters, breathing heavily as she surveyed Akane who was shaking out her hands, now covered in tiny black bruises from the chopstick counters. Glancing down at the slender gold watch on her wrist, the blond smiled.

Returning to her ready stance, Akane waited for Sakura's move, then tensed as the rich girl turned to face her straight on and held her hands wide. "Shishimi Takeout Martial Arts Finishing Move: Paralyzing Kiss."

Akane frowned and was ready to spring, waiting for her honed sense of danger to warn her of the attacks direction before it struck as Sakura went through a series of poses in readiness for some kind of ki attack, finishing with raising her hands before her pink lips and blowing a kiss at her short haired opponent.

Akane's mind screamed of the danger that her instinct simply didn't feel. There was nothing except Sakura's theatrics to give any indication of the attack.

Then her legs collapsed under her.

* * *

Sena pulled the muscle salve her brother had asked for when the man in black had finished off his last opponent. Doctor Tofu had started listing the items he would need and joints that would need to be tended as they watched the last two men fight. There were times when even she was impressed at how quick her Doctor sibling could be at identifying a patient's condition.

Stepping out of the storage cupboard she began to move towards the first aid room where her brother was taking the fallen fighter when she saw Akane getting ready for the next fight and the way the stage hand touched her back. It was in such a way that it may just have been a bit of overfriendliness, and Akane's glare had made him back off, but somewhere deep inside she knew there was something more to this. When he nodded to Sakura as Akane entered the arena she was positive.

Rushing around to join her brother at the door to the first aid office, she saw Ranma watching the fight from a bank of monitors. Calling him over, she turned to her brother. "Tofu, is there some kind of fighting pressure points in the lower back?"

Not really on the same level as Sena was on the issue, his answer wasn't surprising. "Sena, there are pressure points all over the body. The body is a whole that works best when connected at all points from toe to hair."

She quickly explained what she saw, ignoring Ranma's distant greeting as he approached while still watching the monitors of his student and fiancée battling. Sena didn't reply, simply grabbing him and turning him away and putting her hand against his lower back. "He touched her like that." She said quickly, not really sure what was making her so urgent about it till she saw Tofu pale.

"The Faithful Husband pressure point!"

Ranma was simply confused as Sena turned him away a touched his back, saying something about some pervert touching a girl, but when Tofu named the point his stomach clenched recalling one of the more obscure points from his few lessons from Tofu.

The Faithful Husband pressure point was supposedly discovered and named by a female chiropractor who lived near a brothel. The pressure point took a little time to become active after it was touched but when it did it would temporarily paralyze anything below the waist, making it impossible to walk or use the legs in any way for a couple hours unless the counter point was triggered.

He didn't need to ask who it had been used on, it took a minute or two to lock up, and only one person would gain from it being used now.

"Ranma, the counter is here and here." Tofu said urgently, gesturing around the hips on Sena.

"I know, I remember. But how am I gonna get to her. They already had a fit over Ukyo's fight with me interfering. And she knows squat about pressure points, I can't just point her in the right spot and hope she'll get it right."

Nodding, Tofu frowned knowing he couldn't interfere in anyway as part of the event staff. "Hope Sakura throws Akane from the ring for the first fall. Otherwise Akane can't win."

* * *

Sakura laughed heartily at the panic on her opponents face, Akane struggling with her own body as nothing below the waist responded to her will. She was a cripple in the ring, her legs like dead weight and even her hips useless for helping move her.

Picking up the discarded ribbon, Sakura began to twirl it. She couldn't go for a simple pin as Akane practiced what was often considered a grappling style and could still put up a fight till her arms where disabled. This ribbon would eject her from the ring just as easily, she'd have to send Akane a thank you card for being so considerate as to supply it for her, she thought with a wicked smile.

Akane's heart pumped with panic at her predicament, the fear clouding her judgment, hindering what little hope of fighting on she had.

Then she saw him running down the ramp towards the fight and her heart pounded louder in her ears. Even as a producer and Ref Hebner intercepted Ranma on the ramp she knew if he was there she could win.

Sakura frowned as the crowd roared at her fiancé's entrance, his face showing concern for her opponent. She would have thought him more accepting that sometimes ones students simply weren't good enough. Fortunately with his actions in the Ukyo fight there was no way they would allow him too close to the ring. He was handsome and strong, but his poor upbringing did leave him a rather blind spot on the advantages of wealth and how overrated fair fights were. If one knew one was already the better fighter, using advantages only helped shorten the struggling and get to the victory announcement that much faster.

Cracking the ribbon at Akane, she attempted to snag the girls feet hoping to simply fling her from the ring, but Akane leapt her upper body forward to grab it in the air, trying to yank it from Sakura's grip. Sakura grimaced as they fought over the ribbon, before showing her own training in this old Rhythmic Gymnastic Wrestling, forcing Akane to be dragged on the leash of the ribbon and unable to anchor her strength enough to tear the handle from her grasp. For a brief moment Sakura saw Akane with a more slender face and long black hair, wearing a black leotard with a rose emblem, and a flush of anger gave her the strength to slam the short haired girl into one ring post.

In her dazed state Akane was defenseless as the ribbon enwrapped her arms and torso, and lifting her from the mat. Sakura grinned smugly as she moved to the edge and whipped Akane straight down at the thin padded mat around the ring, one umpire blowing the whistle and the scoreboard advancing the first fall to Sakura.

As the girl slammed down Sakura suddenly saw Ranma's move and with suddenly clarity she knew he would try, despite the ultimate futility, to give his student a fighting chance to win the match, and as the pigtailed boy sprung between Ref Hebner and the producer she whipped the ribbon back up, rolling Akane up like a yoyo and flicking her back and free, to fall into the ring where he couldn't enter without making Akane forfeit anyway.

Breathing raggedly, Akane propped herself up on her arms, willing down the beaten way her body felt, glancing at her hips and legs which still showed now sign of response. She heard Ref Hebner yelling red faced at Ranma, ordering him back up the ramp or he would be disqualified and part of her screamed in her mind for him to leave and not watch her fail, but somehow she knew she had to fight on.

When the referee asked if she was fit to continue, she was going to say yes, legs or no legs.

* * *

Ranma hung his head at Hebner's demand, knowing Sakura had beaten him and Akane on yet another rules loophole. And in a second that victory will be recorded by cameras, and broadcast countrywide.

Standing on the bottom of the ramp, as close as Hebner was going to let him get, he was near the announcers desk and heard them making comment on the fight and his own actions. He needed some way of reaching into the ring quickly and without being seen.

He glanced at the long announcers table, mentally cataloguing the items on top. Two mugs beside a jug of water, two TV monitors and paperwork regarding the competitors, all on top of a black with festive pattern tablecloth which draped the front of the desk. He could break a mug and try to hit the counter points with the pieces but such a throw wouldn't be accurate enough to get her exactly on both spots at the same time.

His mind suddenly recalled Akane threatening him in the bathroom last night...

Now he had the means, but as his eyes fell on the camera man who covered the announcers between fights as they reviewed previous clashes and previewed the next fight, it was focused on him and as long as it was he couldn't do anything without costing Akane the match anyway.

* * *

Nabiki tried to watch as Akane was outclassed by the blonde bimbo, but Kuno's triads on the horror of the weakening of his fierce tigress of a divine girlfriend was too much of a distraction for her and those in the seats around them, and most glared at her for bringing the pompous bragged who needed to be all but yelled at to sit down every five minutes to stop him trying to get back stage again. She could endure the glares and even Kuno, but her patience with the loud-mouthed bottomless wallet was trying to say the least. She was sorely tempted to bring out her insurance policy against Kuno again now, if only to shut him up.

It was actually good fortune that she was not so focused on the fight or she would have not noticed Ranma trying to point the cameraman off of him and onto the ramp top, lamely acting out some shock at something he saw up there. Two birds with one stone, Nabiki thought with a dark smile and reached into her purse for her little insurance again.

"Kuno-baby, do you want to help Akane win this fight?"

Taken aback by his companion's sudden question, Kuno nodded and started to rise. He had wanted to go down the ring and cheer her personally all along since before they had first sat down. "Of course I would, she is..."

"I know what you think she is," she interrupted quickly as one of the Referees blew his whistle to start the fight for the next fall. "Now give me your hand."

Kuno hated being interrupted and was tempted to reject her offer, hardly wanting to be lead by hand down to ring side, but decided that he could elude her grip before any cameras turned on them and the media of the Kendo world tried to link them as a couple.

But Nabiki didn't turn to lead him away, she simply stood and pulled his hand onto her chest.

#Goosh#

"PERVERT!" Nabiki cried out as she pulled free of his hand and pulled the trigger on the device, a fat blue-white spark arcing across the electrodes as it touched Kuno's hand as she stepped away.

"AAAAAGHHG!"

* * *

"AAAAAGHHG!"

Ranma quietly thanked the Kami at the cry of pervert from the crowd as many of the cameras, including the one on him, turned up to the crowd where some guy with hair standing straight up was crying out in pain.

Ducking down in front of the announcer's table, he swiped the water jug with one hand as the other cut like a knife-edge at the material lining the front. The empty jug returned to the now revealed wood desk, and with a flick the sodden material coiled like a snake, the end forking like a reptiles tongue before it flicked out at the ring, cracking like a whip as it contacted skirt covered cheeks.

#CRACK#

"EEEEAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!"

All attention came straight back to the ring where Akane was flying across the ring all but howling in pain. Sakura seemed as surprised by this move as Akane, the shorthaired girl rubbing her backside as she landed on her feet. She glared back towards the ramp and saw Ranma smiling and giving a thumbs up as he whipped the sodden table cloth again like a wet towel, releasing it to let it land in a heap under the table it had come off.

Ranma grinned as Akane's face bloomed with a smile and she tested her legs, then nodded her head at Sakura who was looking at her horrified, before charging to try and finish the fight quickly.

Akane gave her a confident smirk and opened up again with fists and kicks, forcing Sakura again onto the defensive. The blonde gave ground as they moved around the ring and Akane lost speed and power in her attacks, as she had to cautiously step on the mat, the support altering under her to try and throw her. She had to finish this quick, she was still tired from fighting Ukyo and Shampoo and who knows what more tricks the blonde had in her arsenal.

Catching her hand in a vice like grip of her chopsticks, Sakura stopped the fight still and glared at Akane. "You can't win. It's only a matter of time before you fall again."

"This'll be over long before I fail Sakura, you can bet on it." Ripping her fist free, she began attacking again, trying to breach the defenses any other way she could.

Chopsticks caught her again, this time a foot trapped by Sakura, "I'm surprised you aren't easier to get on your back, the boys at your old school obviously have no problem getting you there."

Akane bristled but kept control, breaking Sakura's grip and rolling back to the center and assuming a ready pose again. "You must be getting worried if your best is lame insults. I certainly wouldn't be talking about others as easy if your man would rather run every time you offer him a meal, let alone yourself."

Closing the distance with Sakura, Akane smirked at the blush and anger that flushed the blondes face. She had her now, she found the pattern. Again fists began to fly against the impenetrable chopstick defense of the Shishimi style.

Sakura frowned as her taunting failed to work, but without an effective counter plan yet she needed to stall for time and so began readying her next insult. Catching Akane's fist, she let fly, "Unfortunately for you, I will have him, where as you couldn't even..."

The insult failed in conviction towards the end, as she saw Akane flipping away from her to the other side of the ring. With a frown she glanced to where her chopsticks should have been holding the girl's fist, but instead held a fist sized gray brown ball with a sparking wick disappearing into its side.

#BANG!#

The moment the explosion and smoke burst out Akane sprang off the opposing ropes and rolled back in, grabbing the discarded ribbon as she went. Into the smoke she rolled, finding her dazed opponent and amongst a few cries of pain from the dark smoke, two sets of chopsticks flew out of the ring. When the smoke cleared, Akane stood over the tied Sakura, forced to lie on her shoulders while Akane leveraged her legs to hold her there, one black slipper pressing on her leather clad chest. Ref Hebner was there in an instant on the skirt of the ring, slamming his hand down as the crowd counted with him.

"One! Two! Three!"

Releasing her as soon as the fall was awarded to her, Akane flick her wrist to untie Sakura and fling the ribbon outside the ring. The crowd cheered, as the opponents set up again, Sakura shakily getting to her feet, her face showing her fury.

Asking each competitor if they were ready to proceed, Ref Hebner raised his hand and blew his whistle to start on the final fall of this fight.

Sakura's face was ugly with her anger and Akane was sure she was going to charge, but with a twinkle in her eye, the short haired girl backed up, laughing and pointing at Sakura.

Her frown was evident, Sakura's hot fury put off by being openly mocked, her innards turning cold, wanting to hurt Tendo. But Tendo's laughter continued and the girl gestured with a circling finger at her face, gasping words between giggles.

"Your face!... The Firecracker... all black!" The giggles left her with this, turning back to open laughter.

Sakura felt the blood rush from her face at the idea she was on camera in such a state and rushed to the ring ropes, demanding a mirror and makeup from the producers.

Her legs were level with the top rope by the time she realized Akane was lifting her, and she was over the rope and out of reach of them by the time she realized she'd been tricked. Ref Hebner blew the whistle on her defeat as her feet touched the ground.

* * *

Ranma dusted his hands in self-congratulations as he emerged back stage from the arena. He had waved to Akane from the top of the ramp, not wanting his defeated fiancée trying to latch onto him by staying down there. He clucked his tongue at Akane's defeat of Sakura again, knowing playing her vanity was going to make Sakura ten times more vengeful than before on Akane. Still, it was funny.

Sena and Doc Tofu smiled from the first aid room door, the Doc giving him a wink.

Smiling at the good luck waves from Akane and Ukyo, Ranma stepped through the curtain, letting the crowd cheer on queue and the music of the guitar rift the producers selected for him wash around him. He gave a cocky smirk and strode down the ramp to the ring. He glanced at the black clothed and hooded opponent and shook his head, before turning to where his mother and Kasumi were in the crowd and bowing. Rising, he turned to the judges and producers at the desk beside the ring and bowing to them. Finally he stepped beside the ring and rolled bodily under the lowest rope and fluidly back to standing.

Over what cheers and music still played out, and Ref Hebner stood on the ring skirt, asking both of their readiness. When both bowed to him, then each other, he blew his whistle.

Ranma nodded with a smile at his opponent who had yet to move, "Okay Pig-boy, you ready?"

With a growl, the lost boy ripped the hood and dark clothes from his form, tossing them out of the ring to reveal his dusty travel clothes. In his hand, he now held a canteen of water, which he flicked open with his thumb, the lid skittering out of the ring. "I've been waiting to humiliate you like this for years Ranma, I'm more than ready."

The pigtailed boy tensed, the last thing he wanted was to be showing his curse around Japan on television, his face scowling that Ryoga would try something so low.

Ref Hebner had quickly climbed to the ring skirt, reminding Ryoga of the rules of the tournament disallowing water attacks on those with special conditions. Ranma glanced to the side as a new voice rebutted the referee.

"The rules strictly state that one cannot attack others with water, not against the use of water on oneself for the purposes of a special attack." Jiro Ohata smiled darkly at Ranma and nodded to Ryoga, who grimaced and raised the water over his own head.

"Hibiki School of martial arts, twin fighters attack!"

Just a little water splashed from the canteen, enough to soak Ryoga's head, prompting the transformation, extra arms and legs first sprouting, then a second head, and finally separation into two near identical Ryoga Hibikis'.

Ranma frowned, "You finally managed to put yourself together again? I figured it would be ages before you two dunces found each other!" he teased cautiously, hoping people would think the sweat on his brow was from the hot lights and not any fear of this surprise.

It had been many months ago when Pantyhose Taro had arrived at the Saotome house carrying cursed spring water he thought would make Happosai into a virtuous man, only to find the water would make twins out of whatever they touched. It had been a hard fight but he had managed to take the water off the monstrous form of Taro, narrowly missing dosing his own mother with it. It was she who had conceived the idea that if the spring of downed twin water would replace his current curse, he could be free of his girl form. There was also a brief hope of potentially being able to fulfill multiple engagements. But before they could converse with the Jusenkyo guide on the idea, Ryoga stole the water as a cure for himself, and for one moment thought he had succeeded. The problem was that while the curse did make two of him, each of the twins was then cursed with his original curse from the spring of drowned black pig. Of course Ryoga had seen this as Ranma's fault too, giving him yet another curse, and together, the two Ryoga's were more than a handful to handle.

Outside the ring, Ref Hebner, Ohata, and the producers argued over the legality of this move and the early ring bell, but Ranma already knew from the crowds positive reaction which way the producers would eventually force this.

The Ryoga in the dirty yellow shirt stepped forward, "We're here for payback Ranma, now all of Japan will see you beaten to a pulp!"

Ranma smirked to cover any hints of weakness to Ryoga. "That's assuming your partner can fight? I'm surprised between you you've only lost one shirt!" He nodded back at the shirtless Ryoga, who was busy trying to look masculine through his nervous blush as many female catcalls rang out from the spectators. Hearing Ranma's words galvanized the second Ryoga, sending him charging in, followed by the former as the fight began, a whistle blowing.

Ranma blocked their tag team attacks and danced free from their reach, moving around the ring. Dealing with the two of them was never easy, but trying to do so in a confined space like the ring was going to really hold him back. Though of the same mind, the pair really didn't know how to fight together well, which would still let him play them, but ultimately that advantage would fade as the fight wore on.

Feigning around the right, the pigtailed martial artist swooped back on the left, blocking a swing from one Ryoga to hammer punches into his ribs, pulling away quickly to avoid the rush of the second Ryoga.

As he expected the two were trying to grab him, relying on their great strength and the fact there was two of them to pull him down, something he would have to avoid at all costs. Unfortunately the logical counter was dodging with quick hit and fade strikes to wear the opponent down, something that wasn't going to be damaging enough against a man who walked astonishing distances every day with skin that shrugged off shattering stone like rain. Fortunately Ryoga's patience wasn't nearly as good as his stamina.

As the fight wore on, the pair began to get frustrated, Ranma dodging their attacks and grabs, then insulting them by ruffling hair, tweaking noses, flicking ears, and one wedgie that really brought the color to the shirtless Ryoga's cheeks.

The two began to grab at him less, and strike more, and with the way their co-ordination was improving several strikes were landing.

* * *

Akane watched beside Sena, surrounded by stagehands and other competitors from earlier fights as the monitors showed the three in the ring from multiple angles.

"What's Ranma doing? Why is he treating it like a game?" Sena asked with a frown.

"All fighting is a game for Ranma," she replied with an unladylike snort.

"Yes, but Ryoga is different." Doctor Tofu said with a grimace. "Ryoga is about as physically sturdy a fighter I have ever seen. He can walk through extraordinary punishment. The only times I have had to help him recover has been when Ranma's fiancée Ukyo catches up with him."

Akane nodded and recalled with a grimace herself of Ryoga's pet pig act with Ukyo and could understand her anger.

"As for this fight, Ranma doesn't want to hold still long enough to beat either Ryoga down so he's probably trying to anger him enough to toss him from the ring. He's going to have a hard time of it."

* * *

It was a particularly vicious combo attack, one Ryoga driving him back with a hooked thumb at the throat, while the second lashed a series of kicks into the only place the ropes would allow him to withdraw to. The kick connected solidly to his abdomen and forcing the air from his lungs, leaving him just enough sense to roll with the blow and spring off the ropes, hoping to get enough time to regain his breath.

Landing badly, he saw through watery eyes the pair charging at him too fast for him to avoid, and only one technique came to mind. He focused his will, ignoring the fact that if this didn't work, he was going to be very embarrassed.

Stretching his arms wide, he charged the Ryoga's, and gave his battle cry, "Cradle of hell!"

When Ranma had surpassed his father as a martial artist, the elder Saotome developed a final technique that he could not resist. The basis of the Cradle of Hell uses one of the most underhanded emotional attacks ever, a father's love for his son.

In his father's version of the technique, Genma Saotome would attack with the power of love for his son, drag him down and cradle around him in a powerful grip of muscle and love. Ranma had spent many a horrid moment in that grip, his father's stubbled cheek rubbing against his. Fortunately the technique contained one fatal flaw, where those who have trained to sense the flow and pattern of ki in an enemy, can feel the attack coming well in advance, and for the son of a man who sacrificed the development of conscious emotional bonds for his son's training in the art, the sudden presence of love from the old man was disturbing indeed.

In his own version of the technique, Ranma Saotome turned the weakness of his father's technique to its strength. By focusing on the similar bond in Ranma's life, he projected the same love ahead, effectively forming a 'weirding me out!' effect that no teenage boy could stand.

Neither of the two charging Ryoga's would ever know that in Ranma's minds eye they blurred in form, each becoming his mother, as their opponent charged them, arms wide.

Both jumped back, looking at each other with the same incredulous expression as the icky feeling subsided, and Ranma stood taking deep breathes with that ever-present smirk of confidence.

* * *

"The Cradle of Hell Technique! Have you heard of that one Jimmu?"

"Can't say I have Shogun, though by the way Ryoga Hibiki and his double pulled back they have and it must be scary. Perhaps it is this technique that has been why last years champion has been so confident in doing little damage to his opponents in favor of disrespecting them in front of everyone here, while taking several lumps I doubt most of this tournament could have withstood once."

"Well Jimmu, as you said at the beginning of today's events, a match between the man in black and Ranma Saotome would be a real slobber-knocker of a final, but who would have guessed that it would a long known rival of our champion would be under the black hood. I myself can't believe it! This match will be spoken about for a long time, both boys' masterful martial artists."

"You've got that right Shogun, this level of skill is rare among those martial artists who have decades more training than this pair. And Shogun, what's more is the rumor that the Ryoga Hibiki is not only a martial arts rival to Ranma Saotome, but also once dated Ranma's own fiancée and daughter of the sponsor to the event, our women's runner up Sakura Shishimi! Now that's got to put these two making this more than just for prizes or honor."

"I did not know that Jimmu, but who wouldn't want Ms Shishimi for a girlfriend, these boys' anger and rivalry must run deep indeed. And if you can tear your eyes from the action for a moment you can see on the ramp watching the fight is the woman in question and another other of Saotome's female friends watching him fight for the tournament title."

* * *

Ukyo had her head through the curtain to the arena, in a rare moment knowing that she was in mental agreement with Sakura Shishimi, who stood to her left also looking through the curtain, rather than watching with the other defeated competitors who had hung around to see the end. The fact that Akane Tendo who had defeated them both was back there wasn't helping her mood any. Ignoring it, she watched her fiancé face off with the doubled pervert stalker of her life. She more imagined than saw the matching confused animosity from her right where Sakura stood watching through the curtain down towards the ring, part of them both wanting to see Ranma beat the Ryogas' up, or lose to them so that Ranma wouldn't be going off for a weekend in the mountains with Akane Tendo.

Ukyo frowned as she watched Ryoga more, and turned towards Sakura. "Sakura, do you think the producers would mind if we wend down to the bottom of the ramp. I'd like to greet Ryoga after the match."

Sakura eyed the other two for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I think we could arrange that, though only if you promise no emotional outbursts regarding my fiancé?"

"Fine with me, though you think just claiming him will make him yours only works in my favor. Like his name sake, that wild horse won't be corralled so easily."

Sakura bristled at the glib reply, but led the way down to ringside.

* * *

Ranma danced back again away from the brutish pair as they lunged into the attack again. Jiro had really riled them up, neither was playing, and if they managed to get him down on the ground he was really going to suffer for it. Even as he thought it, the matting shifted and his foot twisted, shifting his momentum down and to the left. He swung a quick right to try and force the nearest Ryoga back but the look in the fanged boys eyes said it all as he took it without flinching and tackled into him, the second Ryoga jumping to join in.

Each leg was pushed in a different direction, the left twisted in a powerful grip that sapped strength from his hips, one arm was being crushed into the mat as the other was held up and back where there was no possible purchase.

His back arching in pain, eyes straight at Ref Hebner who had appeared at the ring skirt ready to blow his whistle on this fall to force the Ryogas' to back off of him. If he even closed his eyes or seemed to tap, he knew Hebner would count him out of this fall and he'd lose the point and so he doubled his efforts, trying to pull free of their grips of get them off balance. Over Ref Hebner's shoulder, he saw Sakura and Ukyo looking on worriedly from the ring.

"Hey Ryoga," he managed to get out between groans of pain. "Ya know, Ukyo tried to get me wearing a bandanna."

"Shut up Ranma!" the shirted Ryoga demanded, pulling harder on the leg.

"You're not going to trick us ever again!" cried the shirtless one as he tensioned the arms further.

"Sorry," Ranma groaned out, "Just Ukyo thought bandannas were sexy."

Instantly the pressure eased and with a twirl both were thrown off his body and he rolled to his feet.

Stretching his joints, Ranma smirked at the twin Ryogas'. "Oops, I did it again, huh?"

With a roar of rage, both Ryoga's charged in, and with casual grace he flipped off the head of the shirtless one. When angry, Hibiki was just too easy to predict.

And as he flipped through the air he knew that when in control Ryoga was a hard fighter, as the yellow shirted one moved under his landing point. Even a kick to the forehead didn't stop this Ryoga grab a leg and twirl him out of the ring.

Just the tip of one finger managed to grab the top rope as he went past, and as it tensioned under him he pulled up his feet to take it and use its elasticity to his advantage. In the ring the Ryoga's stood side by side in the middle, but if he tried to spring at them they could easily move out as he crossed the distance... unless they didn't see him.

"Moko Takabisha Variation – Star Burst!" he cried throwing his arms forward as the rope sprang back catapulting him with it. Normally his confidence ki would focus into a ball of damaging power, however he recalled Shampoo's trick and let it flare out uncontrolled. It lost a lot of power, but was brighter, giving him a spot light like effect that he focused from each hand on the outside of the Ryoga's, holding them together and hiding his move as he sprang off the rope.

"Meteor Tackle Spring Attack!" he cried as he flew back in, his arms aiming for their shoulders as they backed from the light. As he connected, they gripped his arms, wanting to tear each out of his sockets, not realizing that Ranma wanted their grip. Ranma's momentum was too much as he carried them back against the rope, up and over.

All three fell to the ground.

Hebner's whistle blew loud. "Saotome down, one fall to Hibiki! Two Hibikis' down, two falls to Saotome! Saotome winner!"

Ranma had just extricated himself from the Ryogas' when Hebner grabbed his arm and held it up, declaring him the winner. The crowd was roaring, as the producers scrambled over themselves coming to refute Referee Hebner who's declaration had already reached the score board declaring him the winner.

The hired referees were arguing with the producer/judges, but Ranma ignored them, watching Ukyo braining the shirtless Ryoga with her massive spatula with a battle cry full of the righteous anger of the pervert hater. Sakura was driving the other Ryoga off with the threat of a jug of cold water, forcing him back up the ramp.

Ranma turned to look at Jiro as he watched with open-mouthed horror as his plan failed and gave him a jaunty salute.

* * *

Akane smiled again for the cameras and crowd before retreating through the curtain after Ranma. A three-foot high trophy topped by a tiny golden martial artist hung idly from a hand no longer interested in holding it upright. The show was finally over. It left a warm feeling in her stomach, winning a tournament she had been training for. Though she had a lot to thank for that to the young man beside her.

Ranma however, just wanted to go home and sleep. He was well happy over the victory and the similar trophy given to him, but three fights and all the other rubbish involved had made it a very long day. He waved at Sena who was packing up some of the medical supplies for return to the clinic.

As they past the door to the first aid room they saw Nabiki walking out with a smirk. Kuno's voice was yelling from within, some unintelligible rubbish about defiling his hand.

"Well well," she drawled, "Anything Goes Martial Arts takes honors, Daddy and Mr Saotome will be happy."

Ranma's chest puffed out just a smidgen further. "Not that there was much competition out there."

Barely paying attention, Akane, looked at the door to the first aid room, Kuno's voice still echoing out. "He's in there, isn't he?"

"You just broadcast your image over Japan, he was going to find you Sis, now how do you want to deal with him?"

"Not today. Tomorrow, okay, but today has been too much to deal with him too."

"Why's he hurt?" Ranma asked as he tried to look in the door.

Nabiki pulled out the stun gun. "Well I had to stun him once when you jumped into the ring with the towel, and twice more for that distraction."

"That was you with the pervert thing? Thanks!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes as she saw Akane looking with near admiration at Ranma, not that he even noticed. "Well you still owe me a massage, just make it a real good one and were even." She said with a smirk that widened as Akane glared at her.

"Er, sure..." Ranma replied with an uncomfortable blush.

"Ranma dear!"

The voice of his blonde fiancée carried well across the room despite the workmen already pulling the equipment down. "Speaking of not wanting to deal with..." Ranma mumbled as his shoulders slumped.

Nabiki nodded to one exit corridor. "I noticed a storage room back there that I doubt either she or Kuno knows of," she offered with a wink before turning towards Sakura and moving off, calling out a greeting to the Shishimi heiress like a fan.

Grabbing Akane's wrist, dragged her along, not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Akane was blushing wondering what the heck her own sister was implying with that wink. She knew they were both engaged to other people, and she hadn't even met her future fiancé. All too soon she found herself in an all too cozy empty room with Ranma.

She looked at him as he slumped on a crate and blew out a breath. His blue eyes looked up her in the weak light. "You fought well today. Though Sakura and Shampoo are gonna want a rematch real soon. Were going to have to work on you adapting your defenses, couple times I figured Anything Goes was going home with first in the men's and twelfth in the women's."

The teasing came in the middle of her phrasing how to thank him for his efforts today and in training. "Like you were a sure thing in that last fight. If Sakura and Ukyo hadn't run those two Ryogas off there would have been another round and you weren't doing crash hot!"

Standing almost angrily, he shouted back at her. "Say's you, I had him any time I wanted. You on the other hand couldn't even take Sakura without my help."

Akane smiled and sprang, wrapping her arms around him and resting her cheek on his chest. His sitting down made a simple hug impossible to keep simple, this was the easier thank you. "Thanks for your help Ranma." He stiffened like a board inside her arms, but she found she didn't mind. She nearly giggled as his ragged breath tickled her hair.

"Meow."

Through an air vent, just a few feet from his head, the stray cat's call rang out and into the ear of the already hyper-stung martial artist in Akane's grip, and he reacted like he had been struck by lightning.

"C-c-c-cat!"

#Crash#

Akane shook her head to try and figure out what was going on, she was still holding Ranma, though now was under him, lying on the remains of the door. He was looking in horror back into the room, but she was more worried about just up the hall.

Sakura Shishimi looked down at the pair in horror, while Nabiki Tendo hid a smile behind her hand. Between them, shaking with anger stood Tatewaki Kuno. With a smooth action his wooden boken was drawn and pointed at Ranma's head.

"Saotome! Animal!"

To be continued...

Authors note:

The announcers and referees are parodies of WWE charter/employees, and one of the new techniques described was based off a similar idea from a Jet Li film released under the translated name of 'The Hitman'.

Special thanks to my proof readers - John Go, Paul Henkel, Bloodwingz, Jamieson Whithehead & Sakura Hibiki.

Special thanks to ff for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.

Thank you for reading.

Trent O'Donoghue


	8. Chapter 8

Meeting Later - Chapter 8

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. All spelling is pretending to be Australian.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 10/10/08

"Saotome! Animal!"

Ranma looked down at Akane's red face before leaping off her. Sparing a glance back into the storage room to allay fears of the cat pursuing him, he stood and faced the enraged World Kendo Champion.

Ignoring the horrified look on his blonde fiancée's face as she stood beside the Japanese young man with his wooden blade out, the pigtailed boy could feel the power radiating from the swordsman, exciting him that he had encountered something really challenging to fight. His eyes briefly noticed a blue black braid of rope nearly a foot long, hanging from the kendoist's belt. His gaze returned to Kuno's, "Excuse me buddy, my student and I were training, butt out."

On the floor, Akane looked with near horror at Ranma as he turned from the swordsman, leaning down to give her a hand to her feet, his blue eye winking at her, his face showing his excitement and anticipation of this face off. She didn't have time to decide how to try and beat into his head how dangerous Kuno was when he was angry.

Sakura screeched out an adjective to describe Akane that ladies wouldn't use in normal conversation and charged towards the girl being helped up by her fiancée, only to stop white faced in an instant as Kuno whipped his blade through her path, her normally unstoppable chopsticks cut like twigs as the tall boy glared at Ranma's back.

"How dare you! Do you not know who I am?" he thundered angrily, "I, I am Tatewaki Kuno, the shining star of the entire Kendo world, champion of all that is kendo, known to all true warriors as the Blue Thunder of the Empire, and when I have done beating you, your feeble skill will be unwanted for the training of children, and thou will never come near my beloved again!"

With a cry, he charged forward, Ranma turning to face him ready to block, but Akane beat them both to the punch, springing straight under Kuno's guard to slam her fist into his abdomen, his body folding over it before being thrown back into a wall.

She turned to glare at Ranma for goading the swordsman, but the impressed look in his eyes stole her anger. For his part, Ranma had planned on just holding the swordsman off and play off his honor, but Akane had done that for him. "Hey Akane, I thought you said this guy was honorable, that he wouldn't just strike at a guy's back."

Standing slowly, Kuno glared at this insolent cur whom had some hold over his beloved, his white tigress even now gazing at her captor like she was in a trance. "I am Tatewaki Kuno, I am all that is honor!"

"Then challenge me, oh honorable one," he goaded back with a cocky grin.

"I shall! I do! I, the Blue Thunder challenge you, dog. This very day in this very place, I shall destroy you!"

Her eyes narrowed, Nabiki had watched, impressed by the blind testosterone of the pair, but as the challenge was made, she recalled Ranma's words about wanting to fight in the open because he expected both fighters to cause a lot of collateral damage, "Isn't that a bit contemptible, Kuno baby?"

Ranma frowned as he looked to the new voice intruding on a challenge, but Kuno was the first to speak, "Silence woman! Must you..."

"Yes, Kuno baby, I must," she said cutting him off, knowing his bark was worse than his bite when it came to women. "I just wanted to point out, that your honorable-ness has just challenged a guy who has been in two days of fighting. Or are you going back to your old tactics, like when you'd let the other boys wear down Akane so you could try and beat her for a date?"

Smirking, Ranma could feel the kendoist bristling, the nature of Nabiki's accusation carrying an air of repetition, words that had been brought up before. "Hey listen Blue Lightning, how about this, next Saturday afternoon, we fight then."

Bristling again at his name being taken so cavalier by the rude boy before him, he nodded. "It shall be, and when I cut you down you shall swear to release the beautiful Akane from your hold on her, that she may return to my loving arms."

This time it was Akane's turn to bristle, but Ranma beat her to words, "Fine with me, she can go to whoever she wants after the fight if you win, but if I put you down, you leave her alone, no visiting, no calling, no nothing. As long as she stays in Juban, you stay out."

Ranma's blue eyes locked onto Akane's as her face lit with a brilliant smile, and he almost didn't hear Kuno accepting. "So be it Saotome, next week, you will learn that my love for her, my fierce tigress, will not be stopped. Prepare for your defeat."

Kuno turned on his heel and stormed out, his angry battle aura flaring around him and sending many stagehands running for cover. Nabiki quickly came over to the pair and placed an arm around her sister's shoulder, going with them as they headed for the exit. "Well that was rather exciting, I really expected him to try and strike now. So, Ranma, you really think you can win?"

Sakura snapped out of her shock looking around at the departing fighters and called rather desperately, "And if Ranma loses, he must..."

"Shut up Sakura!" Akane called back before the fire door slammed behind the departing trio.

* * *

Sena nodded her dark hair as she looked over her big brother in his suit. Hopeless as he was, he could clean up nice. She slipped a laminated card into his pocket showing the restaurant and its address she had picked out for Tofu and Kasumi and patted it, reminding him of what it was.

"I know sister," he said in a strong yet vaguely annoyed tone as he double-checked himself in the mirror. His voice dropped to whining as he slumped before it, "This won't work, I'll screw it up again! She deserves better than that."

"What she deserves, Brother, is your respect. Give that to her, stay calm, and let her get to know you. For a doctor you really don't know much about people, you know that."

"But she isn't a people, she's Kasumi."

She slapped him as his eyes glazed over. "Just be you and let me worry about the rest."

The honking of the taxi's horn out the front made him pale and quiver.

"Come on Brother!"

* * *

Her brown eyes looked up as she walked backwards towards the rear fence of the yard of the Saotome house, the angle letting her see the dark silhouette of a boy laying up on the roof, right where his mother had suggested he would be. She frowned as she changed direction, rushing forward to kick off the ground to the first story and springing again to the roof, landing gracefully on the tiles and turning towards Ranma who looked at her for a moment before going back to looking to the clear city night sky.

"Hey Akane," he said listlessly.

She dropped a small cloth bundle on his stomach, which got a reacting jerk from him, before kneeling and opening it. He grinned as she passed him a fresh cookie and took one for herself before seating herself more comfortably on the slope beside him.

Silence held over the biting cookies for a moment before she began apologizing. "I'm sorry I worked your mother up about Kuno being so dangerous. I didn't expect her to react like that."

He shrugged as he considered his mother's over-reaction when she heard Akane berating him for angering and then turning his back on Kuno, describing in graphic detail how good the kendoist was and whom he had beaten. Nodoka had started to suggest trying to delay the fight so Ranma could have more training time and it had finished in mother and son arguing. Akane's brow furrowed as she recalled Aunty picking up the Saotome family sword and suggesting she take the challenge which had made Ranma call her a cheat and telling her the fight was set before storming out. Akane didn't even remember Nodoka being any good with her sword, certainly nothing like kendo training. "No biggy, she gets like that before all my big fights. And anyway, he might be oh so good, but he ain't invincible, he'll never even see what I'll do to him."

He frowned and looked up to the dim stars again.

"So if you're not upset about that, then what's got you up here?"

"Just thinkin."

She lay down and looked up at the stars, so few visible under the electric lights of the city. She recalled seeing them so bright in the country, and she glanced at Ranma with his wide ranging travels at how he probably knew places even better for viewing them. "So what are you thinking about now?"

"Just trying to recall if anyone had any cool 'wind fighting' styles or moves. If this Kuno is good with wind I could use a little practice, but what little Konatsu knows I know the counters to already, and the only other source round here is out for at least a week."

Akane frowned, "Who's the other?"

"Cologne," he said with a chuckle, "She's got great techniques but after you beat Shampoo at the tournament, she isn't going to be helpful to win a challenge fight involving you."

"Well you better ask her for training before the next time I face Shampoo, cause next time I won't go so easy on Cologne's great grand daughter."

Chuckling at her bravado, Ranma nodded. "You better be ready. Pretty soon Shampoo'll be hunting for a rematch."

Already grinning, Akane suddenly smiled wider as she thought of an ideal pair of girls for the kind of training Ranma sought, but the smile fell as she realized she hadn't seen them since the incident on Prince Toma's island last summer.

The sound of a car door shutting out on the street had the pair look over the roof, seeing Kasumi looking back forlornly at the departing vehicle before turning to head inside.

"She's back early," Akane mumbled to herself before getting to her feet and jumping down to rush inside. Taking the remaining cookies, Ranma dropped down after her and slowly headed inside hearing Nabiki and his Mother already babbling to Kasumi about her date with Doctor Tofu.

He diverted into the kitchen, more interested in any outcome of the Doctor's date than the details of what happened, and it didn't sound too positive. His mother entered shortly to make some tea to share while chatting and smiled seeing he already had the kettle on and the tea set out.

Entering the main room, he saw Kasumi looking as glum as she ever had, flanked by her sisters at the table. A knocking at the door got his attention and he diverted there rather than joining them, opening the door to Tofu's sister Sena. "In the main room," he said simply, taking her coat as she smiled and rushed in to the others.

By the time he returned to the main room, Sena was talking about a second date, seeming almost fearful that Kasumi wouldn't go for it. But it was the dark eyes of Nabiki staring straight at him that made Ranma nervous.

"Hey Sis," she drawled out, not looking away from Ranma, "It seems Tofu was just nervous about finally going out on a date with you, right?"

The nod from Kasumi, and eagerly seconded by Sena, had only just begun when Nabiki continued, her voice slow but firm, "Then we simply need something to ease that tension, make it less of an intimate date and more of a fun date. Perhaps if we could find another couple, known and trusted by both Tofu and Kasumi, to chaperone them on a 'double date'. Then pressure would be off and they can relax into getting to know each other."

Ranma suddenly grew nervous as all the women but Akane turned to look at him. Sena nodded and looked to Akane, then back at Nodoka. "If Tofu chokes again, Ranma can give him a tip or some prodding." Nabiki visualized Ranma kick a frozen Doctor Tofu under the table, Nodoka visualized Ranma nudging an elbow into a frozen Doctor Tofu, Sena visualized Ranma braining Tofu with a mallet.

"Me?"

Squirming in her seat, Akane reluctantly nodded, seeing the value. Her eyes shifted slightly at the slightly over enthusiastic reactions of the other girls. "And me. I guess no one else knows them both as well as we do."

Nabiki grinned, "Good thing we're going shopping tomorrow Akane, you'll need a new dress for this double date."

"Let's not call it a date," Ranma said in a hiss, "If this gets out, Shampoo and Sakura are gonna hit the roof." He didn't even want to think about what Ukyo would say.

* * *

The dark haired girl with the red ribbon in her shoulder length hair glared at the rail security man as he asked where their parents were while looking at their tickets on the early morning train. "That is none of your business, we just need to get to Tokyo."

The older man frowned at them and returned their tickets. "Your father should teach you some manners girl," he said tossing the tickets back to them. "We'll arrive in Tokyo mid morning, you two should be in Juban before lunch."

The dark haired girl watched the conductor leave, her older sister placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "Control yourself Karumi. I'm sure Ranko wouldn't let him hurt her."

Glancing out the window of the fast moving train as the dawn neared, illuminating the horizon with pale light. "We'll see Natsumi, we'll see. He is her brother."

* * *

Akane sat up in bed, bleary eyed, as someone rapped on her door, the lump on the futon on the floor mumbled something about being quiet before going silent itself. Flicking open the curtains to see the sun up, she slipped off her bed, stepped over Nabiki, and cracked open the door to see Nodoka looking at her.

"Aunty, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Akane dear. Your admirer from school has left you a message."

Frowning, she waited for Nodoka to say the message but the woman instead waved her out and down the hall. At the end of the hall was a window looking out into the front yard where hundreds of rose bouquets spread out in a heart display, radiating out from Kuno as he stood tall and proud in the middle.

"Ug," was all she could manage for a moment, before she noticed that Kuno wasn't moving, the brown haired boy wasn't even breathing.

"Is that a statue?" Nabiki asked through a yawn beside her.

"Yes it is," Nodoka said shaking her head, "But it has some kind of tape player on its back."

Akane shivered, recalling a similar bust he had sent her previously. It wasn't the statue that gave her the shivers, unnerving as it was, it was the nervous deja-vu that last time he had done this it was when he had gone off to get the wishing sword.

Walking down stairs in her pajamas, she moved into the yard, looking over the flowers and the statue. Holding a wooden sword aloft in its right hand, it smiled towards the house inanely, its coloring and texture a perfect match to the idiot it was based on. On its chest, over its heart, was a single red button, her name in white kanji on it, while to the right and up from it, near the shoulder, was a black button with Ranma's name in yellow kanji. Walking around the back of it, she noticed the two cassette tapes set into its back, pre-recorded messages, likely to be set off when the appropriate buttons were depressed.

"You like this kind a stuff, Akane?"

She looked over the way at Ranma, who looked uncertainly at the red flowers now all over his family's front yard. "No way. I mean flowers are pretty and all, but not from Kuno."

He nodded briefly and stretched with a yawn, "So you gonna press his button or you want me to?"

She looked at him for a moment then recalled the buttons on the statue. "You better go first, I think I'll be inclined to break it knowing what comes out of his mouth normally."

Grinning, Ranma nodded and stood in front of the inanely smiling statue, reaching up a finger to tap the button. Immediately the sword swung and only his fast jerk to the side let him narrowly avoided having his head smashed in. "Vile Cur! It is right that a lady goes first!"

Stepping back he looked at her. "Looks like ladies first. Ya want me to break its arms off before you hit yours?"

"Tempting, but I don't think he'll make it hit me," Akane stated with a grin, sticking her tongue out at the boy.

Stepping up she hit the button, jumping back as both of its arms tried to envelop her, "Ah beloved, thou will have to live with this poor doppelganger of my own embrace, for as you know I must practice and meditate upon the future battle I undertake to save your very soul. Take comfort that my love for you shall carry me to victory against your jailor."

Akane looked with a level of horror at the construct and turned back to look at her sister, "Nabiki, what exactly did you tell him was keeping me here?"

Yawning and scratching idly at her back, she shrugged, "Don't blame me for whatever his sick mind comes up with. I think Daddy might have put it on Aunty as giving you bridal training for your mystery engagement, or maybe an omiai with him if you decline the family agreement."

"Sure," she said with out much faith in her sister's innocence and a dark thought for her father backing down to Kuno and suggesting a meeting to discus possibly engaging her to the swordsman if she chose not to accept this engagement. She looked to Ranma who was examining the statues shoulders, "You going to play your message?"

"If he hugs me, I'm so breaking this thing," he said with a grin. Reaching out one hand, he nervously hit the button.

Again the sword swung down on him as he ducked again, a chipmunk like voice crying out, "VileCur! Itisrightthataladygoesfirst! bzzert VileCur! Itisrightthataladygoesfirst! bzzert VileCur!Itisrightthataladygoesfirst! VileCur! Itisrightthataladygoesfirst! bzzert VileCur!Itisrightthataladygoesfirst!"

Wincing at the sound, Ranma looked to the others who seemed equally pained, stepping around the swords arc to punch it in the head.

"Know this Saotome, you have riled the anger of the Blue Thunder of the Empire! The heavens now watch you for all your sins shall be atoned for in pain upon your body this coming Saturday. Keep thy hands to thyself and look not upon my prize, for she is mine alone to hold and behold. Thy mangy... bzzzzzzzzert."

Smoke started coming out the back as the women and Ranma watched. "I think I got his point."

Nodding, Nabiki stepped off the balcony and plucked up one rose from the ornate bouquet formation, "Seems a waste to toss all this out."

* * *

Mousse looked angrily at the pile of roses around his beloved Shampoo's delivery bicycle, still chained at the side of the Cat Café building. A knife sprang from his sleeve into his palm, furthering his angry countenance. "Who has done this? Who pushes himself at my Shampoo?" he demanded of the girl in question and her Great Grandmother as the two shared hushed words while examining a card apparently left in the display.

"You don't know, Mr Part Timer?" the elder crone sneered at him, tossing the card in a lazy arc to him. Holding it at arms length he read the Japanese writing on the card.

'To my beloved Shampoo, I look forward to day you ask me out. Yours ever faithfully, Muu Tzu.'

He blinked once before he tucked the knife away. "Ah yes, I forgot I sent them." He looked hopefully to his beloved.

-Pow-

"Stupid Mousse!"

Cologne looked to her descendant, watching her target fly into the distance. "You don't actually believe he sent them, do you Great Granddaughter?"

She didn't turn around as her knuckles turned white, her fists clenched. "Pervert girl think she too too funny."

* * *

Adjusting his kimono in the normal feminine style, Konatsu stepped out from the back room of Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, giving his boss a smile as she cooked yet another of her specialty on the large black grill.

The shifting of the entrance curtain made him look to the doorway, as two girls entered.

"Welcome to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, would you like to take a seat or would you prefer to order takeaway?"

The younger girl's eyes dipped to look at the cooking okonomiyaki, before looking back up at the waitress with cold eyes, her voice just as chilly, "Do you know where we can find Ranma Saotome?"

The older girl, her black hair bound in an ornate topknot through an equally ornate frame before spilling down the length of her back, bowed politely, before adding, "Or please, where we can find Akane Tendo?"

Looking up from her grill, Ukyo frowned, growing initially defensive at the cold reference to her fiancé. Her brow furrowed as she wondered if these pair might have anything to do with these other engagements of Ranma's. "Ranma Saotome is my fiancé, why are you looking for him?"

The taller girl nodded and bowed to Ukyo, even as the younger shorter girl clucked her tongue like Ukyo's pronouncement was an indictment against her. "Please, we need to find him, today. We have traveled very far, but the first time I met him was here in this restaurant."

Ukyo frowned trying to recall this pair in her restaurant before. The smaller girl seemed anxious and angry, a whisper from the taller making her calm somewhat, her eyes looking to the grilling food again, a touch of drool in the corner of her mouth.

Girl martial artists looking for Ranma, either they were here to kill him or marry him, and Ukyo wasn't interested in being helpful to any girls with either intention for her future husband. A smile tugged at her lips as she realized she could use this herself to see her fiancé, and make sure these two weren't a problem. "Have a seat, I'll call Ranma and see if he wants to see you."

Konatsu coughed lightly, his timid way of trying to get attention without intruding. "I'm sorry, but I fear Ranma and his mother have accompanied Akane and her sisters into Ginza for shopping today."

Ukyo frowned, the shorter girl blurting out, "Kasumi and Nabiki?" To which the feminine waitress nodded.

"How do you know this?" Ukyo asked, eyeing her employee.

"I saw Ranma, Akane, and the one I believe to be Nabiki, dropping off red roses to the Cat Café this morning, while I was coming back from the bathhouse. The girls were discussing catching up with Ranma's mother and the other sister at the train station to go shopping in Ginza." Seeing his boss's expression he added, "I believe I overheard them mention the flowers were a present for Mousse."

Ukyo nodded, knowing the ninja trained waiter wasn't lying in his explanation, the poor boy on par with Ranma when it came to lying and poker faces. Shaking her head, she turned to the girls, only to see the taller girl being dragged out by the shorter.

"I got a bad feeling that Ranma's not going to be happy to see them Natsu-chan."

* * *

The shopping centers of Ginza were a maze of malls, arcades, boutiques, and more, all swarming with shoppers and consumers. The bright lights and sales signs, the trendy music lightly played through the centers, and the sounds of sales announcements, all combined to try and whip the shoppers into a consuming frenzy, and though carrying the bags of a half dozen shops already, Ranma Saotome was completely impervious to its power. What people were paying here for clothes they'd wear once or twice a year, he could live off for weeks if not months on the road. More than once in his life time having being run out of a town because of the actions of a less than scrupulous father, one got used to carrying what one needed, and needing nothing more than what he carried, he had developed an eye for what he wanted in his pack and not a lot here inspired him.

Ranma rolled his eyes in boredom as he waited for the girls to leave yet another clothing boutique. At least his mother wasn't forcing his girl side in to try on something that 'looked nice'. His mother could be weird like that at times.

In standing out of the way of other shoppers, he looked through the window of the next store, a watch and jewelry store, his eyes shifting over the simple glass crystal figurines of animals, wondering if his mother would like such trinkets. The next shelf up got his attention, holding a pair of much larger pieces, one a panda using clear and frosted glass instead of black and white fur, its belly the frame for a simple clock the workings hidden by the frosting.

'More useful than some pandas,' he mumbled to himself with a smirk, before sighing at the time, his stomach growling a reminder for the lateness of lunch. His eyes moved over the other crystal clock, a fairly simple Shinto temple with the clock in the doorway.

"Oh wow, it's the dojo!"

The voice of his student right behind him made Ranma spin in place, "Huh?"

"The clock, the one like a temple, if you take the temple gateway off it the building looks just like my family dojo," Akane said, looking at it, and then turning to where Nodoka and her sisters were following with additional bags in hand. "Nabiki, Kasumi, look at this. It's the dojo."

Ranma tore his eyes off Akane's liquid orbs to look over the piece with renewed interest.

"It's shorter than the dojo Akane, and in better shape," Nabiki said analytically, "If you're getting this bad at remembering where you grew up, you might need a map to come home eventually."

"Oh ha ha," Akane replied at the teasing.

Nodoka smiled as she caught her son's expression at Nabiki's words, the frown vanishing as he looked to her and took the bags from her hands, the logo of the boutique on the outside. The Tendo sisters quickly dumping their own bags into his hands. "Come along, a few more shops and we'll see about lunch."

* * *

"Just try it on Sis," Nabiki urged as Akane held up a black dress and looked in the mirror in the shop. She saw the look on her sister's face, the one where she was being prudish and self-conscious about her body again. "It's not like you're going on TV in it Akane, just try it out."

Akane glared at her sister, then at Ranma beside the brown haired girl, who was looking at the dress with unsure eyes. Knowing him it was confusion about how to fight in a little black dress. With a huff she went into the back of the store, down a small isle to the change rooms, taking one and shutting the curtain behind her.

"So Ranma, can I ask you something?"

Nabiki's tone caught him off more than the question. He could tell it was going to be personal. "Ah, yeah, I guess?"

"Yesterday at the tournament, that fighter in the final, he had a manager, thin guy about my age..."

His clipped voice cut her off, "Jiro Ohata. What about him?"

She held back any emotion as the boy turned frosty, her eyes flicking to where Kasumi and Nodoka were discussing a red dress further in the shop. "You and he have some history, he has a restraining order against you yet isn't scared to be in the same building as you to try and help someone beat you. And you show little respect or mercy for what was his old martial arts school. Can I ask what happened to develop that level of enmity?"

Ranma sighed out forcefully through his nose, for a moment the girl expecting smoke to come out like her father did when he exhaled like that while smoking. "He used to be top dog at school, him and his friends bullying everyone. When I came in, I wasn't going to take it, and started taking down him and his friends. They could insult me, but every time they tried to bully anyone, I bullied them back."

"That can't be all of it?"

"I... with the curse, water finds ya, so eventually I kept being splashed at school. I was embarrassed so I pretended like I was Ranko Saotome, my own sister. Anyway, Ohata decided that the best way to get at me was to seduce her. At least till he found out about the curse."

"He kissed you, didn't he?" She could see it on him, like he wanted to wash his mouth out even as he looked out past the shop front mannequins in the latest dresses, crowds of shoppers passing without seeing him looking out at them.

"Yeah, a quick one, he surprised me the jer..." His eyes went wide as someone in the crowd looked back at him, an angry young woman with dark hair being set free as she pulled a red ribbon out of it and rushed for the shop doorway.

"Gotta go!"

Nabiki suddenly found her arms yanked outstretched, the bags hooked onto her wrists before the boy vanished further into the store.

A girl came rushing in, a length of the red ribbon held taunt between her hands, "Where is that pervert?" she demanded before her eyes went wide with surprise, "Nabiki?"

"Karumi?"

* * *

Akane Tendo was trying to shimmy the little black dress up her legs, when the curtain to her stall was yanked open, her face flushing as she realized she was ultimately wearing only underwear, her arms covering her bra and chest, shifting her stance to hold what of her dress was around her hips in place.

With a yank by foreign hands, the dress was pulled up and with the sound of a zipper was done up, compressing the dress around her chest. Her eyes met Ranma's inside small space with her, only his desperate expression robbing her anger of him storming in on her. "Sorry. Two girls are out there looking for me, if they find me, they'll want to fight. Whatever you do, don't say you're in love with me."

Blinking seemed the only reply to the young man's words as he sprung up, seeming to worm his way over the stall into the shops back room. Double checking the dress was in place in the mirror, and frowning at the visible bra straps under the strapless dress, she moved out to see these girls, running instantly into a tall girl in a dusty blue dress, her black hair pulled back in an ornate topknot to flow down her back. A large rug beater was held like a weapon in her hands.

"Natsumi?"

"Akane?" Natsumi blinked before smiling and hugging Akane, "Karumi, she's here," she called out before looking back to the heir of the Tendo Martial Arts School. "This will sound weird, but you're under a magic spell. You don't love Ranma Saotome."

Again blinking in a confused fashion seemed to be the best reply.

* * *

Ranma thanked his luck as he found the store's back door, the large shopping center having several back access corridors for goods movements and fire escapes. With a frown he realized he needed to get back in there as Ranko before the girls would ask of him, his mother especially a danger of revealing the nature of his curse.

Darting in another back door into another storeroom, he saw the boxed dresses of another women's boutique. His eyes looking to where he jumped the wall to the change rooms, hoping that the layout was the same, as if he jumped a bit further over he should land in the corridor to the change booths. If not, he hoped for an unoccupied stall.

His jump crested the wall but even as he came down he saw the girl changing below. He caught but a glimpse of the tall girl, with long black hair in matching bra and panties, these too black with a rose motif. Landing, he covered his eyes and prepared to be screamed at.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a voice cold with fury.

"Ah, I'm really sorry about this. If you could step to one side and I'll get out of here."

The girl surveyed him with dark eyes, smiling to herself as he shyly covered his eyes, tensed and ready to be hit, for intruding on her in her half dressed state. Taking his other hand, she pulled him along, "Let's get you out of here, you naughty boy."

His brow furrowed as her voice went from expectantly cold to overly warm, and she led him past the curtains and out to the store main.

Her hand pulled his to make him face her, "There you go," she said in that same unnervingly warm tone.

Peeking one eye out he saw he was indeed out in the main part of the store, but when the other eye opened he realized the girl had not bothered to dress when leading him out. Her dark eyes widened appreciatively at meeting his own.

"I am known by many names, you may call me Kodachi, and you are?" she asked simply, holding out one hand, palm down, fingers dipping towards him.

"Ah, Ranma Saotome," he replied, keeping his eyes on hers, his hand taking hers awkwardly to shake it. "Really sorry bout that, I gotta go."

* * *

The blonde young man smiled confidently as he talked with the cute sales girl about the dress on the mannequin, lightly suggesting how it would look on her lovely frame. He could see her cheeks redden, her lips fractionally pouting out, as her eyes got lost in his smile. He was very tempted to steal a kiss when his eyes caught sight of his fiancée coming out of the dressing room, apparently with the wrong accessory.

Instead of wearing a slinky black dress, she wore just her underwear as she talked with some red-faced boy. Cutting short his talk with the sales girl, he stormed towards them, but the boy turned and vanished in a rush from the store.

"Kodachi-dear, I don't believe that's truly appropriate to be wearing that little around strange men. Who knows if they can control themselves?"

Kodachi read his jealousy in his eyes, her own eyes meaningfully glanced to the sales girl angrily looking at her. She looked into his eyes, closing the distance to just inches. "Strange how little control some men have, Mika-chan?"

Mikado Sanzenin smiled at his fiancées accusing eyes, "At the very least, tease someone cuter, you could do better than him." His arms lightly encircled her bare form.

"If I could do better than those blue eyes, pray tell, why am I with you?" she teased, her breath caressing his lips before breaking his closing grip and returning to the change room. "Find my dear brother, Mika-chan, I grow bored of this place. Hohohohohohohoho!"

Mikado smiled as she sauntered away, eager himself to end this shopping trip his future brother decided to take, something about gifts worthy of Akane Tendo, but as he walked out of the shop, his eyes searched for the mysterious pigtailed boy.

* * *

Akane and Natsumi came out of the back, rejoining Kasumi and Nabiki who were introducing Karumi to Nodoka.

"You're that pervert's mother!"

The cold words of the angry girl certainly didn't impress Nodoka, Natsumi quickly stepping up, "Karumi, control yourself, that makes her also Ranko's mother, so she deserves our respect."

The short girl wearing a dusty pink top and gi pants, flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, Mrs Saotome." She mumbled grudgingly. "My name is Karumi, and this is my sister Natsumi."

Nodoka's eyes narrowed on the taller girl, "Didn't you challenge my son to a fight once?"

"Aunty," Kasumi piped up confused, "Who is..."

Nabiki was faster on the draw, "Yeah, where is Ranko? First Ranma runs off, now his red haired sister has vanished."

Neither of the other sisters seemed to notice Nabiki interrupt Kasumi, nor Kasumi's eyebrows rise as she finally caught on. Akane was equally slow in catching up, but distracted when Karumi rushed over and tugged harshly on chest of the dress she was trying on. What little cleavage Akane had to be proud of wasn't really up to filling this dress, and she yelped as she was nearly pulled out by the younger girl.

With a frown, the smaller girl looked up at her, "Do you have the mark of a koi fish anywhere on you?"

Frowning, Akane shook her head pulling the dress back up as a red haired pigtailed girl in a red Chinese style blouse ran into the shop, her hair dripping with water.

"Hey everyone, sorry I'm late, I, Ranko, Ranma's sister, should know better than that." Her blue eyes scanned the Tendo sister's faces and his mothers, hoping they got the subtle hint, before turning to the newly arrived girls. "Karumi, Natsumi, nice to see ya, what' a doing here?"

Her head tilting at the red head, Nabiki spoke, "By the sound of things, our training sister's are here looking for your brother. Did he do something to upset them?"

Nodoka frowned, "Perhaps we should get some lunch and discuss this? A gather this will be a long story?"

* * *

The sucking sound of the straw emptying Ranko's milkshake jarred Nodoka's nerves as she listened to Nabiki telling the story of how Natsumi and Karumi had become close family friends to the Tendo's, while the group sat around a table in a open café, arranged in the middle of a wide shopping center corridor, shoppers passing on either side.

The orphan sisters had arrived at the Tendo Dojo, wanting to thank Akane for her generosity in sharing food with the starving travelers. When it came out that they were practicing to be the best in women's Anything Goes Martial Arts, they accused the Tendo patriarch, Soun, of being their father, and eventually faced Akane to determine the best one for carrying on the dojo.

During a major battle, Akane deflected an attack from the girls up through the roof, disrupting Happosai with his private stash in the dojo attic. The old man claimed and proved that he had found the two orphans and pretended to be Soun Tendo, claiming to be their father to give them a proper reason to train, teaching the children the basics of the art. The girl's depression over not having a father to look for made Soun offer them a home, coming to be what Nabiki called Training Sisters as followers of the Tendo school of Anything Goes Martial Arts. They still liked to travel in search of new techniques and challenges, but the pair had came back to the Dojo often and called it home over any other place.

Nabiki had then explained the last time they had seen the girls had been during the summer, when during a heat wave, Tatewaki Kuno had offered to take Akane sailing. Akane declined, but then was pleaded into accepting, all three Tendo girls and the training sisters, Soun, Tatewaki's Father, Akane's teacher, Tatewaki's Sister and her boyfriend also inviting themselves along for a cooling ocean trip.

The trip of course had been a disaster, with a storm sinking the ship, stranding them on a deserted island. They had then started being attacked, the girls being kidnapped, sometimes in front of the very eyes of others. It turned out, a boy ruler named Toma had his island kingdom floating by theirs and he and his most trusted lieutenants were kidnapping the girls. Kuno, Soun, Principle Kuno, and Mikado confronted Toma and his men, Toma threatening Kodachi with magic water that would make her a man forcing the martial artists to hold back, vulnerable to Toma and his illusions technique to incapacitate them all while he returned to his island kingdom.

Using the small runabout boat from the yacht, the men followed to the island, while inside Toma was hosting a competition with a hundred kidnapped women to determine who would be his new queen. When the men interfered it became chaos, Toma picked Akane and took her to his chambers, while his men picked wives from the other victims. Eventually the men managed to rescue the girls, Kuno and Toma getting into an epic battle in which Kuno copied Toma's own tricks with his blade, before unleashing massive cuts to sink the island.

Akane looked to Karumi and Natsumi, "We saw you in a life raft with some of Toma's men, but you never made it to the first island with us? Where did you go?"

Natsumi smiled, "We went back to Toma's island. It was badly damaged, but it only looked like it sank, it was more of Toma's illusions."

"Wait," Ranko said, leaning forward, the boy turned girl suddenly interested in a tale he had heard Akane tell before. "So the well with this 'man water' is still there?"

Shaking her head, Karumi looked relieved, "No, thank god, it was damaged. Though they say it'll come back in a hundred or so years."

The paper milkshake cup in Ranko's hands under the table crumpled into a tiny ball.

Sharing her daughter's disappointed face, Nodoka looked to the new girls and Ranko, "So now how did you three and my son cross paths?"

"Your lecher son put a curse on my sister to make her love him." Karumi accused angrily before Natsumi put a hand on her sisters arm.

All eyes turned to Ranko, "It wasn't, er Ranma, it was this dumb magic fishing rod." The blue eyes unfocused as the girl grimaced, knowing the face his mother was about to make.

"This guy Ryoga," she began, wincing at the face her mother made, "anyway, he's in love with Ucchan, er Ukyo, only he kinda blew it with her and she is still mad at him. Anyway he was desperate and in some stall at some country fare he found this magic fishing rod of love. He didn't really believe it would work, but he really thought he loved her back then so he was desperate. He found his way to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, to use it on her."

"It was pretty dorky looking, with like a suction cup on the end instead of a hook, but he tried to get her with it. She blocked it, and I, er Ranma, took it off him asking what was goin on, and in doin' that he accidentally, completely accidentally, the cup on it stuck onto Natsumi's chest, right over her heart."

"Ranma apologized and I thought that was the end of that, Ryoga fleeing Ucchan and getting lost. Then the next day the magic of the rod started working on Natsumi, making her fall in love with Ranma. So she started lookin' for him, and that's when our furo broke so we were using the local bathhouse."

"It took her another day ta find me, er, me brother, cough, and in asking people where ta find Ranma, she had heard stuff about him being a really great martial artist and she wanted to show him she was good too, so she challenged him to a fight. It was going okay, till she, kinda, kissed him. Not wanting another fiancée, he did the only thing he coulda done, he put her in a sleeper hold till she passed out and left her with her sister Karumi."

The girls looked to Karumi who nodded but was glowering at Ranko and Nodoka, while Natsumi was blushing at her own involvement in the tale.

"The next day she tried again, this time she knocked him through the wall into a love hotel..."

"We get the point! She was fully under the effect of that lecherous magic." Karumi stated angrily, her taller sister demurely sitting red faced as the tale went on.

Slightly red herself, Ranko continued. "Anyway Ranma, knew something was wrong with her, and didn't take advantage of yet another girl throwing herself at him and used the spray of a broke water pipe to escape her, he sent me to work out what was wrong with her while he went looking for Ryoga."

"The magic on Natsumi made this koi fish, ya know how koi also means love, anyway it was like a birth mark over her heart, so we worked out it was something ta do with the fishing rod, but we needed the instructions and so we convinced Natsumi that Ranma was going after Ryoga, so we all went after them. I already knew that Happosai had put Ryoga onto an instructor up near Mt Fuji, so I figured he'd go back for more training before he came after me for taking his rod off him. When he turned up, we beat him down, got the instructions, and lifted the curse off Natsumi so she wasn't after, Ranma, anymore."

Frowning, Nodoka spoke, "I think we're all glad that you got rid of the love magic on poor Natsumi, but I dare say you have glossed over some details, such as why Karumi still blames my son for this fiasco?"

Swallowing, Ranko shrugged. "When we confronted Ryoga, he kind a brought up that fiasco on the beach, with the Amazon love pills, claiming Ranma used them and no one blames him for it." Nodoka nodded as she recalled Happosai attempting to make Ranma's girl form fall for his perverted self only for it to be the instant pill, the day pill being swallowed by Ryoga, who feel deeply in love with Shampoo's Great Grandmother and spent the whole day trying to find her after getting lost. Fortunately the lifetime pill had been destroyed.

Her eyes never left Ranko's as she waited for the rest of the tale. "Nothing else happened on the trip?"

"Er, it's really kinda embarrassing but while waiting for Ryoga, we might have done some sparring, and one cold night they double teamed me really well. It was great, Karumi going low with her ribbon while Natsumi jumped over... heh, anyway I went into the river and hit my head. I passed out and they jumped in and saved me. I, er, well I, when I woke up it was morning, and they had put the wet clothes out to dry and we had all shared two sleeping bags for body warmth..." She swallowed nervously as she blushed, four of the women looked to the already angry Karumi and rolled their eyes.

Natsumi ignored them to look at Akane, "We saw Akane in the tournament on TV and the way she looked at Ranma, we feared he might have used something on her. When she wasn't angry when he put his hands on her with the towel, we rushed back to make sure. I'm glad we were wrong."

Blushing that the cameras of the tournament caught her looking at Ranma with anything more than respect for her teacher, Akane smiled and patted Natsumi's shoulder. "Thanks for coming, it's great to see you."

Smiling gently, Nodoka glanced again to her daughter and shook her head at her story, before looking at the girls. "Right then, Natsumi, Karumi, you are welcome to stay with us, and Ranma will fully apologize to you tonight. For the moment though, Ranma himself has been the victim of love magic's himself, I assure you he wouldn't use them on others knowing how wrong it is."

Akane nodded, "Trust me, he hasn't used anything on me, and despite opportunities to be a letch to me, he has been a complete gentleman." Natsumi and Karumi blanched at what Akane was implying, though Nabiki smiled impishly at the blushing Ranko.

"Then lets be off," Kasumi suggested with a gentle smile, but as they all rose, Akane went white.

"Akane Tendo! Come to me my love!"

All the girls turned to the caller, Tatewaki Kuno, followed by a pile of teetering parcels on two small black clothed legs. Resplendent in his authentic samurai robes and hakama pants, the swordsman strode forward to the group in the café.

The red haired girl reacted first, jumping between Kuno and his target, her deft hands snatching the boken blade from the swordsman's belt, a flat palm to the stomach slamming him back several yards.

"Back off, Thunder-boy, Akane doesn't want to talk to you." The boy turned girl said defiantly, the boken snapping easily over a knee before the pieces were tossed away.

Tatewaki Kuno knew no fear as he stared down at the short girl before him, who even in unflattering clothes was of handsome figure, but he looked to his beloved beyond her.

"Divine tigress, inform your loyal friend that I am welcome..."

"Kuno, just leave. I'll see you at the fight next Saturday." Akane said in a firm voice, not wanting to fight anywhere near stores or shoppers.

"Nay, say it is not so! It is fate that we meet his day!"

"Geez, take a hint, dopey."

Again Ranma struck at his undefended chest with an open palm, driving the warrior back away.

"Stand not in my way, Miss, for though your loyalty to your friend is true, so too it is that your friend is my destined bride. Sasuke!" With the name of his manservant called, a new boken poked out of the pile of parcels behind Kuno, which he took up and pointed at Ranma-chan. "I beg thee Miss, do not make me treat you as I will the craven Saotome."

"Ranma Saotome is not craven!" the girl shouted, and charged.

Kuno gave a board sigh and his blade slashed as the girl moved in again, expecting her to withdraw embarrassed. His eyes widened as the girl ignored her shirt opening from stomach to throat, a thin strip of bare untouched skin showing as instead she flashed under the raised blade, her hands grabbing his wrist as she hooked her weight on his limb, lifting both legs to smack kicks up his body, each landing in the same moment, each striking a different vital point in the blink of an eye. She didn't notice his wrist twitch as his eyes rolled back in his head.

Flipping with momentum to land on her feet, Ranma-chan looked back at the girls and his mother, her hands holding closed her shirt with a grimace, she liked this shirt. "I thought you said he was good Akane?"

Several of the girls gave her almost fearful looks, and she lost her smugness, awkwardly freeing a hand and scratching the back of her head wondering what the problem was. Her hand felt the change.

Turning with a look of horror, she saw Kuno shakily getting to his feet, still bruised, a length of red braid, fraying at one end, in his hand. "You are indeed skilled, Flame-haired girl."

Blue eyes widened as they locked on her pigtail as he raised it to his nostrils, then narrowed with fury, her hands becoming fists at her sides, clenching white knuckles as she stepped forward towards Kuno.

"Ranma, stop!" Only the voice of his mother could reach her, and she held for just a glance to the woman. "Close your top," she demanded, and with a flush she saw men in the crowd ogling her as she yanked her shirt closed, some wives and partners already using handbags and umbrellas to regain their attention.

Kuno's eyes were wide as he stared at Ranma-chan, blood on his upper lip, the red braid still in his hand. "We shall meet again, my flame haired girl, I shall treasure your gift." The swordsman said as he began to hobble off.

Ranma-chan's eyes still blazed with fury but she knew she couldn't fight him in this crowd, especially without embarrassing her mother by flashing everyone. Her eyes looked to Akane, "On Saturday, he is so going down for this!"

Frowning, Natsumi leaned towards Nabiki, "Why did Mrs Saotome just call Ranko, Ranma?"

"I'll tell you when we're away from here," she replied enigmatically with a wink. Smirking, she nudged Akane one way around Ranma-chan, while she took the other, each taking an arm. "Come on Ranko, looks like you'll need a new outfit to get home in."

* * *

"I hate this," Ranma-chan groused as she glared at the giggling Nabiki. Akane's sister had provided every argument to every suggestion she had made to not have to wear the summer dress Nabiki had just bought on sale -

'I can turn into a guy.'

'And how will you stop Karumi from fighting guy you here?'

Then,

'I'll buy a new shirt?'

'You had your chance to shop, we're going now."

Then,

'I can put my top on backwards?'

'And look like a dork? That would really impress your mother.'

She looked down at the bags among the women on the train, her black pants having joined them, the cool afternoon air brushing her legs at every stop on the route back to Bokuto. The red summer dress was flimsy, and overly short, on sale as autumn deepened towards winter. The tightness in the chest might have substituted for a supporter had she not needed so much support, but it would probably look very nice on the middle Tendo sister.

Leaning back, her brow furrowed at the glare from Akane, the red head twisting her head to see a boy, about their age, trying to read from a novel. Which must have been hard since he was stretched in an awkward position over her shoulder, that had his eyes close to 'accidentally' looking down her top.

Having three often angry fiancée's taught one about the most potent type of emasculating glare, her blue eyes wordlessly driving him back, watching him gather near a pair of other boys to whisper together. Turning back she watched her mother and the seated girls, able to keep one eye on the glass window and watch the boys in the reflection, though he flicked to glance at a highly amused Nabiki.

"Pervert," Karumi spat and Ranma smiled at her.

"Yeah, but just ignore em, they'll give it up soon. Guys like that got no clue of how dumb they look doing that crap, and that was just trying to get a look. One time, this guy set up so he could lean into me to try and cop a feel when the train braked..."

Just then, the train braked. Hard.

Swinging her head to check the boys, she missed grabbing the strap handle overhead as it shifted forward with the heavy change in momentum, and the red head stumbled forward into Karumi knocking the shorter girl back, rising up the younger sister towards the older. Ranma-chan had a glimpse of Natsumi's worried face as she fell towards her over her sister. Her lips touched warm skin.

Akane blinked in surprise that her hand had managed to grab Ranma's face, resting between the two girl's lips, but she quickly pushed the red head back, ignoring Nabiki's laughing as Karumi pulled back from the girl's cleavage when Ranma-chan had gone up onto her as she took them both into Natsumi.

Nodoka shook her head at her daughter as they straightened, Ranma-chan grabbing the handle firmly while offering apology after apology, Natsumi looking away blushing, while Akane glared at him.

* * *

With a sigh, Ukyo glanced around her nearly empty restaurant. "Can you two hold the fort?" she said towards her two employees in their kimonos. "I got to run an errand, I'll be back before the dinner rush."

"Sure Ucchan, Natsu-chan and I can handle it." Junko said even as Konatsu slipped behind the grill to take over cooking. "Where you heading?"

Ukyo frowned at the green eyed girl, her exuberance a likable trait, but her inquisitiveness often became annoying, especially when it could be a little embarrassing, like now.

"Shampoo and I had a bet against Akane Tendo over Ranma in the tournament. As we lost, we each have to have a date with Mousse. No way am I letting Akane or Shampoo, or Sakura or worse Nodoka, say I don't honor my debts."

Junko glanced at the pale Konatsu, before a dark smirk came over her lips. "Well, good luck Ucchan, you might get lucky and he'll refuse to date you and you're off the hook. See you when you get back."

"I finally find my childhood love and he is engaged to at least four other girls, Junko, how lucky do you think I am?" Ukyo replied with a smile, "Back soon."

As soon as the boss disappeared through the shop curtain, the dark haired girl turned to Konatsu. "Natsu-chan, I'll help you get closer to Ukyo if you help me make sure Mousse gets much closer to Shampoo?"

The male ninja woman nodded slightly, thankful for his friends help, but the glint in the blue eyes of the girl made him wonder nervously what she had in mind…

* * *

"Have a safe trip home," Akane called, waving to her elder sister's as Kasumi dragged their overfull bags onto the train from the platform, Nabiki rushing to help after delayed putting a letter in the mailbox at the platform entrance. "Tell Daddy I love him."

-Crash-

The youngest Tendo daughter fought to keep from frowning and muttering about 'idiots' at the sound of violence from the park near the station drew the eyes of many, Ranma's distant voice goading young Karumi as they fought. Natsumi looked in that direction with some concern but waved absently to the girls on the train.

After getting the girls back to the house from the shopping trip, Kasumi and Nodoka had quickly whipped up more food, Kasumi and Akane assuring the older woman that good food was a weakness of the youngest of the martial arts sisters, Natsumi and Karumi.

It was half way through a second bowl of ramen that they demonstrated Ranma's curse. Natsumi surprisingly understanding, Karumi was less so, ending with the girl accepting a challenge from the dark haired boy, unable to attack him there, pinned as she was under Akane and Natsumi.

The challenge, unrestricted three on one sparring with her sister and Akane aiding her against him, would give Karumi the chance she wanted to 'punish the pervert', making the younger girl grin darkly with planned revenge all the way from the Saotome house back to the train station. Ranma on the other hand, grinned the whole way too, looking forward to a good training opportunity and working off a little of the anger at the incident with Kuno.

Of course, Akane had expected them to wait till after she had seen her older sisters onto the train, but Ranma, again in his black pants and a fresh sleeveless shirt, had been jittery almost the whole walk, and started whispering some kind of dirty limerick to Karumi. The moment he pointed out the park they would practice in, the girl had attacked, Ranma leading her while dodging her strikes with a gleeful smile that only broke when he saw her frown, his hands motioning at the younger girl like it was her fault.

Shaking her head, Nabiki eyed Akane for a moment, "Don't hurt his fingers, that boy still owes us a massage remember? And don't be trying to convince him to give the ones he owes us to you, little sister."

Akane blushed lightly, rolling her eyes at the teasing as the doors began to close. As the train pulled away, she and Natsumi waved till they couldn't see the older girls any more, wincing again at another crash as well as Ranma's teasing voice about 'weak unfocused attacks' came from the park area.

"Come on Natsumi," she said with a sigh, hefting the wooden sword in her hand. "Let's go see if we can't shut him up before Karumi catches him off guard and kills him."

"Please," Natsumi agreed with a nod, drawing her sturdy rug beater from her back, her long dark hair splaying from the tight topknot.

* * *

Pain flared from his hip as he hit the ground, rolling as best as possible. The girl's were adapting to fighting together quickly. Natsumi and Karumi respectively using icy and scorching wind attacks from their weapons, the attacks merging and compounding into a funnel towards the boy, even as Akane twirled her boken, carving the air to send blows into the heart of the attack, keeping her instructor unstable as the main attack caught him and launched him over the grass.

Staggering raggedly to his feet, Ranma heard more than felt the stomping charge of Karumi, her breath like an enraged animal, as she flashed across the distance to strike, the other two girls following. Spinning around and dropping to a knee for stability, the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts he opened his arms at her, "Cradle of Hell!"

The younger girl reversed direction in a flash, feeling the warm engulfing emotion from the hated boy, but didn't get far, slamming into her trailing sister Natsumi, the older girl's long hair wrapping them both as her move forward became a tangle of arms and legs on the ground.

Akane rushed forward at the warmth, pulling up with a frown at the sudden presence of affection from the boy washing over her then coldly vanishing. Her brown eyes watched Ranma's face, his eyes thoughtful on the dark haired Natsumi before looking at his hands.

Turning, Akane grabbed the bottles of water they had brought and took two to the girls now getting up, both red faced looking at Ranma, one with fear, one with confusion. "How about we have a break?"

* * *

"Ranma?"

Turning, the dark haired boy looked at Akane, her face pensive. Well behind her, the two adopted Tendo sisters sat on a park bench, both glancing their direction as the younger Karumi muttered something.

"What's up Akane? Ready to fight again?"

"Not yet. I wanted to know about that 'Cradle of Hell' attack? You used it in the tournament, didn't you?"

"Yeah, on the Ryogas'. It's a special move I made off of one my Dad made up. Months ago, he finally worked out that I was better than him at fighting. He is good, but I was just getting too fast and knew too many special attacks, so he made the Cradle of Hell to show me up. It's actually just a grapple move, but ya got to use your ki to make it stronger, and he worked out an emotion to focus the ki through and really make it hard to escape."

"But you're not using it as a grapple."

"Yeah, see the grapple he uses is with how he cares about me," he blushed and spoke quickly, "ya know as a father to a son, master ta student, that kind of lo… caring."

Rolled her brown eyes, Akane gestured with her hand, rolling it so he would move on to the point, and stop acting like a ten year old.

"Anyway, you taint that much ki, and any half good martial artist can feel it, and so when you ready that attack, you send out this vibe at your target, and, well, it freaked me out. And it just gets worse when ya in it." He visibly shivered, but pulled himself together as she gestured again to hurry up.

"Okay, so I got into a fight with Jiro, when the old goat gave him these soba noodles that made him super strong. And he grappled me to crush me, I had nothing left so I did it to him, and he jumped away. I just focused on hugging Mom, and kept him away, till I gave him this berry mixture that cancelled the strength."

Nodding slowly, Akane nodded. "So, you did it to Karumi and she thought you were being a letch and jumped away…" Her face frowned as she looked at Natsumi, a surge of jealousy rushing in her blood at the dark haired girl obviously watching Ranma from the bench again.

"Yeah, but Natsumi mustn't of felt it as she followed behind Karumi…"

Akane reigned herself in, part of her wanting to agree, the rest glad he was oblivious. She nodded.

"Unless…"

Her brown eyes widened as he mulled something over, her hand reacting to bring the blade of the wooden sword at him. "Training time, baka."

Ducking, he twisted to avoid spilling his water on his body before spinning back to feet, hands up in a guard as the red head eyed Akane.

* * *

The bell on the door of the Cat Café rang for a new arrival, and the cheery waitress with long purple hair bounced out to greet the customer in the slow mid afternoon. The cheer vanished and exotic eyes narrowed as she looked of the girl the blue shirt and dark slacks, her hair tired back smoothly with a ribbon, the tresses cascading over the huge spatula on her back.

"Hi Shampoo, I heard Mousse brought you flowers?"

The dark eyes appraised her angrily. "What Spatula-girl know about it? She help Pervert-girl?"

"Nah, Konatsu-chan saw Ranma with Akane and her sister bringing them."

"Try make trouble for Shampoo, Pervert-girl get what coming. Spatula-girl helping, Spatula-girl get to."

"Hey, you want to fight her, you go right ahead. I'm here because of that stupid bet."

Shampoo frowned confused, then frowned recalling. "Was joke."

"Maybe for you, but it's only one date."

"You date Mousse, I date Airen."

"Yeah, like Mrs Saotome would let you if he wanted to. I'm doing this so she can't say I broke my word when we get to decision time."

The Chinese girl nodded and pulled out a chair, to sit with an unladylike huff, absently kicking another chair out for the visitor. "No want date Mousse. Blind-boy get all clingy."

"Only to you, a cheap meal, a movie, and honor is satisfied, as far as I'm concerned."

"Ug, only need quiet place and he want hug, no go dark movie alone!" The long purple hair swayed as she excitedly sat up. "That it! Each have to date, one date."

Shaking her head, Ukyo looked at the girl, "What? What do you mean?"

"You date Friday, I date Friday."

She shrugged, still confused, "I date him and then he's tired in your date?" Ukyo's cheeks reddened considerably, "I'm not talking about that kind of date!"

The Chinese girl spoke angrily in her native tongue, the negativity suggested to Ukyo that wasn't her intent, before finally she switched back to Japanese, "One date, two girl. Mousse think all man with two girl, neither girl attacked."

Ukyo nodded, then grinned, "Hey, that's not bad. And if we play up Mousse as being manly, we can convince Ran-chan that he should be hanging out with the two of us more instead of Akane. And Mrs Saotome can't say a thing, she was all about Ran-chan's manliness!"

"Is perfect!"

The doorbell to the café chimed making both girls look at the tall boy entering, his white robes clean, the light glinting off the thick lenses over his eyes. Closing the door behind him, he turned back to find the two cute girls standing before him. "Shampoo? Ukyo Kuonji?"

"You can take us out on Friday night, right?" "Mousse want date with Shampoo and Spatula girl?"

Ukyo frowned at Shampoo's name for her in this alliance, ignoring Mousse as he praised his luck.

* * *

Natsumi eased her washed body into the hot water. She was sore more from strain than injuries, their practice with Ranma lasting hours and really testing her endurance. The only bruises from the fighting resulted from being attacked by Karumi after the boy deflected her angry sister into her wind attack, leaving the younger girl disorientated, and so riled as to charge out at her before she realized it wasn't him.

Her brown eyes looked over to where Akane washed the younger girl's back, Karumi's muttering nearly echoing in the wall-tiled bathroom. Karumi was the most tired of all, still driven by anger at Ranma. Even now, Akane was saying how the boy was not really a pervert, but considering he had started leering at down his own top, before dashing off to get a cup of hot tea to become male again, verbally commenting on the three girls attractiveness, specifically in ways that felt... ooh it got under her skin, even though she knew he just wanted her and Karumi not to hold back in attacking him. Karumi had fought well beyond what she had seen of her in the past, but the dark haired boy somehow stayed ahead of them, never falling for the same trick twice, and often having an offensive counter against a third attempt.

The other girls began to climb into the large furo, and she moved over to make room in the steaming water "Is he always like that?"

"Ranma, no, but, it's like I kept saying. He isn't a pervert, but he really wants to beat Kuno, especially after that hair thing today," Akane said.

Karumi nodded, wanting to add something. "Pretty vain for a jerk."

Frowning, Akane shook her head, "It's not that he's… it's not only that he's vain, it's that Kuno took something from him. It happened to me too, back before you first came to the dojo." Even as she defended him, she knew she had thought she was less attractive without her long hair. "He can be a jerk, but there are times he is really sweet too."

"Sounds like someone is sweet, on him?"

"What!" Akane said scandalized at Natsumi's words, even as part of her flashed through memories of him.

Karumi splashed the water as she went from angry to panic, grabbing Akane's shoulders. "You can't like him, he's a jerk and a letch!"

Both girls calmed the younger. "He isn't a pervert Karumi, even if I did like him, we can't be… anything." Her voice turned down. "Even if I did want to fight through his other fiancées for him, I'm engaged to some stranger too."

With a frown, Akane began to climb out, reaching for her towel.

* * *

"Ranma, can you put the compost out in the garden before we eat?"

"Sure Mom," the dark haired boy called back as he raked at his dark hair with a hand. It just looked wrong without his pigtail. And it wasn't like the Dragon's whisker was still working on him, good thing too or he'd be stuck as a girl trying to get it back off Kuno or go bald!

Walking into the kitchen he picked up the small tub containing potato peels, vegetable skins, fruit cores, some fat left from cooking, and some other vegetable muck sloshing in the bottom and headed for the back door. At the door, he slipped on the yard shoes to keep his feet clean when he returned inside, standing up to see the figure lunging at him from the sky.

"Airen!"

The purple haired Chinese girl leapt to hug her husband. Her future husband needed a reminder of what body was going on a date with another boy on Friday.

At least that was the plan, as she hugged herself to her man, crushing him and the tub between them. There wasn't a lot of juice and water in the bottom of the tub but it was enough as the plastic cracked and poured onto her dress.

Ranma rolled his eyes tiredly as he was surprised hugged, grimacing when her hand hooked onto a particularly nasty bruise on his back from sparring with Karumi, but when he felt her become weightless, her finger grip becoming smaller and far sharper, till the dress and tub dropped to the ground, the clawed thing still holding on his shirt.

His eyes closed, franticly repeating a mantra in his mind. 'No sound, it's not a cat! No sound, it's not a cat!'

"Meow!"

"Arrrrrgh! Cat!"

* * *

"Arrrrrgh! Cat!"

The manly shriek was the only warning the girls got, Natsumi barely standing to get out of the large furo when the dark haired boy burst into the room, colliding with Akane. A blur of flailing arms, the pair went down, the pink feline dropping to the ground as the terrified boy pushed the girl in the towel between them, shivering as he hissed "Cat!"

Shampoo hissed and spat at Akane as the girl ignored her, turning to the boy, surprise becoming concern as his hands held her tightly to keep her between them.

"Is this the Neko-ken? Ranma, calm down."

The screech of the cat made him jump, fast hands turning her back again to face the evil furred creature, not daring to see himself how Natsumi had gripped the animal behind its neck, avoiding its claws as she glared between the two students of Tendo Anything Goes Martial Arts.

"Ranma, its okay, it's me, Akane. The cat can't get you. Look, Natsumi has the cat."

Karumi shook her head of the confusion of this peeping letch, focusing on her anger as Akane told him to peep on her undressed sister.

"Pervert!" she cried as she grabbed her excessively long red hair ribbon and flicked it at the boy, snaring his neck to yank him head first into the tiled wall.

"Karumi!" Akane cried too late to stop her attacking the terrified boy, the door sliding open behind the younger girl.

The dark eyes of Ranma's mother surveyed the room, Shampoo in her cursed form held by Natsumi, Akane yelling at Karumi, the youngest girl pulling back her ribbon from her son who was embedded head first through the tiled wall. Only the youngest girl wore a towel, though her son had one in his hands.

"Stop!" her voice commanded, all three girls and a cat looking up frozen. "Natsumi-chan, please place the cat in the bath, then all of you get dressed."

Stepping into the room she moved to help her son, ignoring the splash of displaced water as the cat reformed, and the gasps from the girl.

"Shampoo!" Akane's voice cried, recalling Ranma speaking of her curse but not putting it together, "You did this to him!"

"Shampoo do nothing but hug husband, stupid husband's father make scared of cat."

As the other two started questioning, Nodoka let a piece of tile fall and shatter to get attention and followed it with a silencing glare. "Get dressed ladies."

* * *

"You don't really expect us to believe this!" Karumi cried angrily, glaring at the boy who was now starting to regret his pervert act of earlier.

Akane put her hand on the younger girl's arm to calm her, her concerned eyes on the boy as he flinched at her words. "Karumi, this was a really dumb technique, it scarred him for life."

"Oh yeah, and he just happened to come in and peek on us?"

Shaking her head, Nodoka's voice was very soft and sad. "Ranma normally tries to get away from the cat he is scared of, or if he slips into the Neko-ken, chase them off. Shampoo has a habit of chasing him regardless of what form she is in, and he might have just been trying to reach the hot water of the furo."

"Shampoo only chase to make Husband see he no be scared," the Chinese girl stated firmly, defending her actions.

Something in Nodoka's eyes held Akane from angrily replying, something more positive, maybe even a touch of smugness, entering the older woman's voice. "It may also be that my son has grown to trust Akane and went to her to help get his fiancée off him."

The boy's face was down as he blushed, not sure how to reply, Akane glancing at him red faced till the black glare from Shampoo drew her eyes.

Placing her teacup down with a clink, Nodoka looked to the foreign girl. "I'm sorry Shampoo, but what was it that brought you here tonight, uninvited?"

Shifting her posture, Shampoo nodded, "Shampoo wanted to talk to Mother-in-law in private, but then turned cat and find more girls in Husbands house."

"Natsumi and Karumi are close family friends of the Tendos' and I invited them to stay while they help Ranma train for a new challenge." The older woman said in a calm voice. "What did you need to discuss with me?"

"Husband have no interest in more girls?"

Ranma's head snapped up at the accusation, "Erk, No! I got enough girl problems."

Karumi nodded her agreement, but the slight drop in Natsumi's shoulders made the other two girls glare at her, only to glare at each other. Shampoo broke the glare to look pouting at Ranma's mother.

"Shampoo worried that Husband curse affect him, make him woman."

"What!" "What!" "What!"

The three simultaneous cries of concern from the Saotome's and Tendo forced her to suppress a smile. "Shampoo worried because Mousse being all man and taking Shampoo and other girl on date at same time. Shampoo worried if husband no thinking about Shampoo and other girls. Shampoo have many pretty sisters in village."

Akane glared darkly, "This other girl dating Mousse with you wouldn't be Ukyo would it? As in the dates you to have to go on since you lost at the tournament?"

"Shush pervert girl, at least Shampoo can get date anytime want."

Calmly, Nodoka coughed gently to get attention. "I have no doubt my son is a man, despite his curse, Shampoo. But for now, I have to reheat dinner for our guests and hope this interruption hasn't ruined it too badly. My son can show you to the door."

Wincing, Ranma stood as his Mother did, followed slowly by a grim faced Shampoo who turned quickly and walked out rather than waiting for her fiancée. He chased but the slam of the front door said he didn't reach it before she closed it herself.

"She can have him," Karumi stated, her eyes closed as she nodded firmly to her statement, unaware of the two girls with her glaring, one quickly looking away from the other.

"Karumi, I promise you, he isn't a bad guy. He really wouldn't peek."

Frowning, she shook her head. "If one more of these 'accidents' happen, I'll…"

The other girl's nodded to placate the younger girl as she tried to think of some kind of threat to back up her statement.

* * *

Ranma yawned as he sat up in bed, stretching a kink from him as he smiled at the soreness of his body from good training. Glancing at the clock, he shrugged and climbed from the bed. He moved to the door and opened it, then recalled they had guests, one in particular who would not appreciate him walking around in his shorts. Stepping to the wardrobe he pulled out some fresh pants and started to put them on just as figure walked into the room.

Tapping the door shut with her foot, Natsumi dropped the towel she had been drying her hair with onto the bed.

"You've packed up the futon already Karumi?" she asked as she pulled off the bathrobe, "Hey, where's my pack?"

"Urk!"

"Eeeek!" Blushing madly, the girl pulled her robe and towel back on to cover herself, eyes on the boy facing the wardrobe, one leg in his pants.

"Ah, I think you missed the door to the spare room?"

Calming herself, she straightened her outfit, trying in vain to control her blush. "I'm so sorry. I just…"

"Just took the wrong door," he said for her as she opened it again. "Hey, these things just happen. No big deal."

* * *

"Hey, these things happen. No big deal."

Karumi and Akane stepped up the stairs, their talking stopping at the sight of Natsumi in a disheveled bathrobe backing blushing out of Ranma's bedroom.

"What is going on!" demanded the younger girl, barging past her sister into the pervert's room seeing him pulling up his pants.

"Karumi, it was an accident!" her sister cried.

"What was an accident?" Akane demanded suspiciously of the dark haired girl.

"Everybody calm down." Nodoka's voice intervened again, halting all as in the bathroom the night before. "What happened this time?"

"It's my fault," Natsumi said. "I just went in the wrong door into Ranma's room."

The boy in question added to her defense. "And I didn't see anything, I looked away the second she dropped the robe."

Three girls turned red, only one from embarrassment.

"We're leaving!"

Akane blinked surprised at Karumi's pronouncement, but Ranma was faster to speak.

"Oh come on, ya don't have ta go. We barely did anything last night, just give me till Saturday with both of ya, we'll go at it into the nights, and by then I'll have no more use for ya?"

Akane's mouth hung slightly open, Natsumi was again blushing, and Karumi's face was contorted angrily. But none of them reached him first.

-Thwack!-

His mother looked sadly at the girls from where she now stood beside her son, lowering the rolled up newspaper. "I'm sorry girls, he gets it from his father. His intent is pure, but his manners are poor. You are welcome to stay and train."

Rubbing his head, Ranma leaned to Akane. "What'd I say wrong?"

She considered taking the paper from his mother to hit him again when Karumi dragged her sister to the spare room to pack.

To be continued...

Special thanks to MwhaleK, Michael Ahlf, Paul Henkel, Rosedreams, Jamison Whithehead, Wheedle1, tendoakane3, lisiegurl, and Sakurabana for proof reading and plot inspiring.

Special thanks to the workers of FF for making all my stories unreadable by changing formatting rules again.

Thank you for reading,

Trent O'Donoghue


	9. Chapter 9

Meeting Later - Chapter 9

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 10/10/08

The ringing of the lunch bell woke the dark haired boy from his doze, but the whack of a bento against his head was what focused Ranma into the now. Suppressing a yawn, his eyes followed his friend, houseguest, and student as she walked away from him with her lunch under her arm.

As the sway of her hips vanished behind other students exiting the classroom, Ranma stood, stretching his neck and the crick he got from sleeping with his head upright, a price he had been paying ever since Akane had taken to his mother's words of keeping him awake in class a little too eagerly. And with how miffed she was this morning he wasn't dumb enough to give her an excuse to work out her issues. It wasn't like he drove Karumi and Natsumi off, he had said he wanted them to stay to train till the weekend at least.

With a shrug, he took off, starting to weave through the other students to catch up with Akane, considering ways to either provoke a bit of sparring or at least make her smile. His musings were interrupted by strange smells and foreign sounds, though the former definitely delicious and the latter festive if unfamiliar. Leaping over some students into the cafeteria, narrowly passing between the doorframe and their heads, he saw Akane before a quartet of performers playing instruments.

Under big white wide brimmed hats and wearing bright red ponchos with loose black trousers, all embroidered with red or white, four Japanese men joyously played, the lead singing to a red faced girl while strumming an odd guitar, his words for the most part lost on even the most knowledgeable students in audience, except for the names Akane Tendo, repeated often, and Tatewaki Kuno less often.

Behind them two cute serving girls in tighter red blouses and loose black skirts handed out plates of burritos, tacos, and more, the smells of cheeses, beans, chilies and meats making more than a few students line up.

A brief mention of 'Saotome' in the song got Ranma's attention, his shoulders straightening and hand wiping his chin as he mentally processed the foreign words used around his family name. Being raised by Genma Saotome on the road, and later adventures around Happosai, one tended to learn insults from a wide variety of languages even in an insular country like Japan. 'Diablo', and especially 'Diablo Saotome', he had heard before.

Moving up beside Akane, he nodded at the performance. "You like Spanish food, Akane?"

With a glare for her friend, she shook her head. "Mexican, Ranma, this is a mariachi band and food like this is from Mexico." The band parted and the dark haired girl managed to revert to a polite smile as one of the serving girls brought her a plate of Mexican delicacies, arranged by colors in a vague image of the face of Tatewaki Kuno.

Turning from the spectacle, the pair moved away even as the band helped give out the rest of the food to students and pack up. Akane's frosty glare kept the students parted as they found a table to sit at. "I once mentioned I liked Mexican to someone while I was near Kuno, and then he paid for a new Mexican restaurant to open between his house and mine."

Suppressing a shiver she looked up at what should have been sympathetic blue eyes and found them locked down on the steaming plate. Opening her bento, she pushed the plate to Ranma.

Somehow she didn't think this spectacle today and yesterdays talking statue would be the end of Kuno's displays of affection before the fight on Saturday.

* * *

Picking up one of the red roses in the vase on the table in the Kuno mansion, Mikado Sanzenin breathed deeply of its scent, ignoring the glare of his fiancée's brother from where he talked with a tailor, three white outfits laid out on three feminine mannequins.

"You know Tatewaki-san, I find a gift given without thought to the receiver will never reach her heart."

Maintaining his glare, the elder boy looked contemptuously over her sister's blonde boyfriend. "Your findings are those of a plebeian at best, focused on getting your own satisfaction, and not that of a strong and deep love such as my own. My gifts reassure my beloved that she is never without me, that our love breaches all barriers even as she is separated so cruelly from my presence."

Idly flicking the rose back into the vase, Mikado shook his head, "A gift each day may be somewhat overwhelming, after all absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

Turning away, the heir of the Kuno family nodded. "Shall we test such? Begone and see if my tasteless sister has missed you while you toiled here bragging of your philandering experience."

"As you wish," Mikado acquiesced with a mock bow as he left the room, "Brother."

Well paid or not, the tailor wished he was anywhere but left alone with the growling kendo master.

* * *

Jiro Ohata frowned as he looked out the window, ignoring the teacher at the front of the class, he brushed his fingers over the page of riddles and codes, feeling the lettering of the feminine handwriting as if it would give clues to her nature. His eyes brushed over it again, and the notes he had made in deciphering the codes and games that lead to a concise question and an address.

An offer of a date.

It wasn't that Jiro hadn't had dates before, even as his general popularity dropped, with his looks and confidence he could get a date with little effort. It was just that few Japanese girls were forward enough to ask a boy out. Then again, the manner chosen in this invite was a test, this girl wanted him to earn the date. And perhaps a subtle hint that whoever the mystery girl was she knew him well enough to know that he was school champion at riddles and word games.

His childhood hobby skills had been stretched to decipher the message, riddles in the corners of the page acting as clues giving him the keys to how the letters of the main message had been substituted to make them unreadable. It was very clever, and most surprising was how the neat handwriting stayed smooth despite being in a jumbled code.

But in the end, the solution was his, laying on him a riddle as much a puzzle to him as the rest. An invitation by a mysterious admirer to a date on Friday night. The nature of the riddles and the location of the date made him disregard concerns of this being an attempted joke or trick by fellow students, but with the last exams coming up he had little time to waste on frivolous relationships.

His thoughts were disrupted when much of the class rushed across the room to the window, some standing over him to stretch and see the blue sky, where the acrobatic plane was skywriting above.

In vast letters of white smoke, the kanji of a statement was formed, saying 'Four days till the rescue of Akane Tendo. Have strength my beloved.'

The plane was making another pass, forming a jagged exaggerated lightning bolt under the writing.

Down on the sports field, the girl in question was trying to hide her face in embarrassment, all the girls giving up on the game of soccer to watch the skies or question the red faced girl.

* * *

"He-yah!"

#crack#

The battle cry and crack of something breaking in the middle of the night awoke Ranma, his body bouncing out of his bed and slipping past his door as quickly as he could open it. A second sound of impact directing him into Akane's room.

Barging into the dark guest room, he had his guard up just in time to block a boken strike, his nostrils filling with faint smoke. Without thought, he stuck back at the weapon hilt, smashing it down to disarm the opponent. His attacker released it all too easily, hooking his arm to keep his momentum and roll him head first in the dark.

Falling on Akane's bed, Ranma felt his opponent pin his chest, just pulling free one hand to grab and hold a fist aimed at his face.

#click#

The sudden illumination of light being turned on found Akane looking down at Ranma, his hand holding her fist, his body pinned under her weight, his face looking up from between her bare thighs. His face was just as confused as hers, and from the way his cheeks pinked and his eyes moved to the ceiling, just as embarrassed.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Nodoka's voice, for one a mother, the other a friend and aunt, sent both teens scrambling to their feet.

"Um, it's my fault, I heard Akane fighting and rushed in and didn't realize I was fightin' her."

Pulling straight her pajama top, and down more to cover the fact she wasn't wearing the matching pants, the girl pointed at the slightly smoking remains of her alarm clock.

"I, I was having a nightmare about Kuno, I couldn't get away from him, then when I woke up I realized I was still hearing his voice from that thing."

Pointing at the smashed electric device, the LCD screen mainly scrambled as it hung out of the rest of the shattered device by a couple of wires. It suddenly flashed twelve o'clock, then read six o'clock, and Kuno's voice filled the room. "Arise divine tigress, although being away from me, be glad for my thoughts still reach you..."

With another crunch, Akane stomped the remains, Ranma looking away as he got another flash of a 'Hello Kitty' emblem as the girl's movement lifted her pajama top. With a second stomp to make sure it was dead, she glanced back at her friend and Aunty Saotome.

"He has his voice recorded in that thing to... talk to me while I sleep?"

"And make you dream of him," Nodoka concluded.

"How'd he get that in here?"

Sheepishly glancing at her son's question, with a stroke at her let down dark hair, Nodoka looked down. "I fear that I assumed it was sent by your sisters. It arrived this morning and I plugged it in for you. I meant to tell you at dinner but forgot."

"I better get back to bed," Ranma cut in, moving to the door. "Try not to have any more bad dreams."

Akane was about to quip back at the dark haired boy, but as his eyes glanced at her bare legs again as he left, it faltered in her mouth. She wasn't the only one to catch it either. A slight smile tipping up the corners of Nodoka's mouth making Akane narrow her eyes.

"Aunty, um, have you seen my pajama pants?"

The older woman blinked, her cheeks maybe a fraction more pink, "Oh, no I haven't. Could perhaps Natsumi or Karumi have packed them by accident?"

"No, I wore them on Monday night after they left."

"I'll search the laundry again in the morning. You still have some of those pretty nighties don't you?"

"Ah, yeah," she said, glancing towards the drawer holding the lacy sleepwear items Aunty had gotten for her. "I just find pajama's a little more comfortable to sleep in."

"Very well dear. I'll look in the morning."

As the door shut, she put the boken back in its place, and turned out the light. Aunty was weird with these subtle and not so subtle pushes to be more feminine and less a tomboy. Not like Ranma would have kept his eyes to himself any more if she had been in a nightie anyway. He was nice but he was still a teenage boy.

Slipping under the blanket again, she smirked as she thought of his blue eyes, giving a sigh in the dark.

* * *

Wincing, Akane opened the package with gentle tugs, not wanting to know what was inside it but unable to not see what the idiot had sent her.

Sticking another clump of rice into his mouth, Ranma watched from near his mother as their houseguest hesitantly opened the small package. "Stop cringing and just rip it open, like a band aid."

"Ranma, manners." Nodoka said quickly to make him swallow before continuing, her own eyes watching for what this day's present might be. Genma had never been one for giving presents, and the older woman found the devotion and generosity rather romantic. All in all, it was a good thing Akane seemed to have closed herself to this man long ago.

Cutely sticking her tongue out at Ranma for getting scolded, Akane unfolded the main portion of the paper wrapping, folding back to reveal the book within.

With a groan, she lost her caution, turning it over to see the cover.

Reading the neat calligraphy, Ranma swallowed his breakfast to read it out, "Excerpts from the diary of Tatewaki Kuno."

"He's wanted me to read his diary before," Akane said, opening it to the first page with another groan.

With a snatch, Ranma grabbed the book, ducking back as Akane lunged at him to take it back.

"Oh kami, its poetry!" He said with another laugh, jumping past Akane to get behind his mother.

"My winter early,

my sun held prisoner,

my mighty sword waits."

Nodoka held her amusement in, unlike her son whose laughter let Akane reach him and regain her embarrassing present.

"It's not like I asked for this, Ranma," the younger woman snapped, fighting her blush.

"Are they all that bad?" he chuckled, nodding at her as she flicked through the next pages, her face frowning, going to the doorway to toss the book into the kitchen bin.

"The idiot didn't even write more than six pages, the rest is pictures of him posing in his Kendo gear."

"His devotion does seem to be easily distracted," Nodoka observed, before taking another sip of her miso soup.

"Hmph, hopefully he realized how bad his writing is and gave up permanently," the younger woman said, eyes crossing in irritation at the chuckling dark haired boy across the table. "But then with Ranma's literature skills, they could have a fair fight in poetry battles."

Putting aside his chopsticks, Ranma smirked. On the one hand, she was right he didn't put much effort into literature, but he never forgot a good insult, even from years ago from father to son.

"Yet again we spar,

My student learns that she still,

fights like a weak girl."

Breakfast was cut short as Akane chased Ranma out of the house and towards the school, fist eager to teach him a thing or two.

* * *

Coming down the stairs, Ukyo Kuonji looked at her workers cleaning up. Without herself to lead the cooking, she had decided to let her restaurant close for the night. With the Cat Cafe also closed on a Friday night, the customers would be driven to try Shishimi Takeout, or one of the few other restaurants surviving in the area.

Her eyes flicked over to her waitresses, both smiling, though Junko's was a little eager. Probably has a date herself, she considered with an idle thought, though hopefully whoever he is would be a better choice than some of those losers she often talked to from Ranma's school.

"Well? How do I look?"

Her cheeks turned pink as Konatsu's brown eyes looked over her gently, and she knew in an instant he would praise her as beautiful in rags, but at least Junko would keep it straight and on point. The dark haired girl looked Ukyo over, from her blue jeans, nice red blouse with a lined print almost like flannel, and a denim jacket over her arm. Her hair as normal was tied back over her shoulder in a ponytail. Over all a bit more country than Junko liked, but workable.

"Nice, but a bit casual isn't it?"

Ukyo shrugged, "Apparently Mousse is taking us to the amusement park."

Nodding like she didn't know that, Junko eyed her over a bit more, "No weapons?"

"Please sugar, knowing Shampoo?" Deftly opening the jacket up by the lapels, she showed an assortment of spatula shurikens and condiment bottles whose contents barely resembled what one would use in cooking and garnishing. With a white-toothed smile, she folded the jacket over her arm again. "Well. I'm off, just lock up when you're done cleaning and have a good night off."

As the boss left, Junko moved to the window to make sure she was well out of earshot, even as the sounds of Konatsu's cleaning became faster and faster behind her.

When the boss finally the boss disappeared around the corner, Junko turned back to the now spotless restaurant.

"Ready?"

The waitress in the red kimono nodded, placing a plastic bag on the counter. With a single tug, the red kimono fell away, revealing a red ninja's outfit, tight on his feminine figure. From the bag emerged several items, the largest a metal kettle, and ranging down to a camera with flash, two small walkie-talkie hand radios with ear pieces, and a pair of smoke pellets. Stepping to the broom closet, he brought out a simple wooden mannequin in a denim outfit with long brown hair tied with a white bow.

Picking up one of the radios, Junko smiled and nodded, "Perfect Natsu-chan, we just need to hide out till they go for the Ferris wheel."

The smile on the male woman ninja faulted at the frown emerging on Junko's face. "But you need to change that outfit."

* * *

Happily throwing back another drink, Genma patted his crying friend on the back as the master of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts blubbered into his sake.

"I'm so happy, so happy," he cried to his old friend, "All my girls are off on dates. They're all becoming women."

"I know Tendo, I know," Genma said red faced with alcohol as he waved the barman over for another bottle. "Didn't I once tell you my wife could get your daughters hitched?"

Soun frowned and looked at his friend, then burst into tears, "I'm losing my babies! Wah!"

Genma rolled his eyes, and considered if it would take longer to sober his old friend up or make him drink till he passed out, but when the barman put down a fresh bottle he asked for three more.

* * *

Outside the gates to the darkened household, two women glared at each other. The tall brunette with the bag of takeout in one hand, the other holding a round clear plastic bowl with two sleek fish tussling within, nodded to the other, "Shika, I take it you heard about Soun-chan's girls being out?"

The older Shika nodded, her beautiful kimono every bit as lovely as the former beauty queen, despite her advancing age, nodded in a controlled graceful flow, careful not to pull her dark hair forward from her shoulder, "And I take it Ninomiya, that you were equally unaware that Soun-kun would also be out?"

"Genma," the high school teacher spat, like the name was an insult, even as she put the take out and fish bowl down to one side.

"Yes, or Happosai," Shika returned, as she quickly put down the two cloth wrapped parcels she carried, the top one opening to reveal a wooden case with the emblem of the Miyakoji family in gold leaf. Even as she opened it, she addressed Hinako, "Do you truly think that victory will get Soun's attention?"

"You could always step aside."

"And you could date a man your own age, or boy as the case may be?"

In another moment the laneway flooded with light, as battle cries rang out,

"Happoutsurisengaeshi"

"Toukai Kyusu Benkai!"

* * *

Akane examined herself in the bathroom mirror, her hands pushing up her moderate assets that the new black dress she wore was trying to show off. Auntie's words that she'd fill out further in coming years weren't going to help it tonight. She ruefully considered the other going out dresses she had in her wardrobe, her mind's eye coming to the long chaste white dress Kuno had sent her today. A long white dress, a white gi, and a white winter kimono. All pure, all chaste, all very form hiding, and all, as Nabiki had put it when she told her Sister over the phone, 'A big sign from Kuno that her body was only for his eyes'.

Taking the long coat off the hook, she slid the equally black material over her shoulders, the fur lining warming her for the trip there and back in the cooling night, the short skirt of the black sleeveless dress doing nothing to keep the warmth in. She smiled at the glamorous look, her eyes wondering what expression would be on Ranma's face when he saw it.

Her cheeks reddened as she suddenly saw herself eclipsing her elder sister, since this was in truth her double date. Ranma and herself were to be there as chaperones, not a true couple.

The door opened, admitting the girl in question. Kasumi smiled at her sister. "Akane, you look lovely."

Sharing a hug, Akane reciprocated the compliment, her fears becoming baseless as her eyes enviously appraised her sister's more generous figure in the long blue dress she wore, her long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail held by a silver clasp. White gloves adorned her hands, a matching white shawl covering shoulders bare but for three spaghetti-thin straps cresting each side.

Nodoka poked her head in as the girls quickly checked their hair and make-up. "Are you ready? The men are growing restless," she said with a smile and a nod, her eyes approving of the girls' outfits.

"You ready to go win your man, Sis?" Akane asked with a confident smirk.

Kasumi smiled mysteriously, "Let's go get them."

* * *

If Ukyo had seen the boy, things might not have escalated.

She had been facing away the moment it all started and never saw him knock into Shampoo. All Ukyo saw as she turned was Shampoo line up and ram back into the teenage boy as hard as she could.

Mousse had seen how it started, his own vision becoming tunneled as he pursued the boy, Ukyo charging to impact into Shampoo's back, making the foreigner jar forward, long hair flicking around. With a muttered Chinese curse, Shampoo looked over her shoulder at her attacker.

The two girls' eyes met and both knew - it was on.

By virtue of position, Ukyo knew she had to stay behind the purple haired co-date, but that very position led to weak attacks. Fortunately the boy had friends willing to hinder the foreign girl in the tight dress, bunching against her, stopping her movement.

Eyes blazing, Shampoo glared at one boy in front of her, seeing Ukyo line her up like a bug to squash. Even turning her wheel and slamming down her foot didn't get her clear of the boys before Ukyo's bumper car smashed into her side, jarring her again, hair flailing.

Twice more Ukyo gave a gloating smirk as she hit her bumper car into Shampoo's, and all Mousse could do was watch impotently as he tried to erratically steer the confounded contraption that didn't obey his hand work. In the end it was he that escalated the conflict.

"I'll save you Shampoo!"

With a battle cry and a flick of the wrist, he launched a chain from his sleeve, three pronged hook shaped like a birds claw grabbing the wheel of the boy to his beloved's left, a yank turning the car aside, his grin turned down as another bumper car slammed into his back, his glasses knocked off before he could see her smile of thanks for his help match the one he imagined she had.

Shampoo smiling darkly in personal success, as she broke free of her predicament, putting the boy between herself and Ukyo with a shout of success.

Going into a wide and empty opening, Shampoo turned hard, the tip of the conduction poll sparking as it raked across the taunt wire mesh that fed electricity to the motors in the kiddy cars. Her vehicles coming around into facing oncoming vehicles, her eyes locked on the brown eyes of her rival, Ukyo not slowing an iota as they closed.

"I'm not turning China Girl!"

The Chinese Amazon smirked darkly, twisting to cock her arm, summoning her ki to her hand, eyes breaking off the glare on Ukyo to see the feeble and flat dashboard, looking for the convergence point. The weak point targeted by the Breaking Point would spread the power of the strike to shatter the material, but was harder to see in the reinforced fiberglass than even wood, but when she saw it, her palm lashed out.

The concave slap of her hand impacted around the point, her ki power still spreading, but the breaking point was left intact, anchoring the force, keeping the car together as the force spread to the metal frame, electric wheels leaving the floor as it rocketed forward.

Ukyo's eyebrows shot up, her focus going from offensive to desperate defense, but still too late as the cars collided. Tilting badly, the professional chef had to throw her body to the side to force her bumper car back down on its wheels instead of tilting over, her only saving pride as she spotted Shampoo with her smirk of supremacy in this fight.

It was a deft throw born of skill of countless hours of training, but with a single gentle flick, she drew and launched her mini-cooking spatula shuriken. It gently arced up to the wire mesh, sliding in between the contact rod and the mesh. A present from Konatsu for financial New Year, not that Ranma would be so thoughtful, the high quality utensil had a Teflon coating, the frictionless material non-conductive, cutting Shampoo's engines before she could start moving again.

Finally finding his spare glasses, Mousse saw Ukyo charging in on his future wife again, his girl rattling her car's power pole to get power and freedom. Standing on his toy car's seat, he pulled free the chain that had gotten tangled by other joy riders, his momentum in recalling one added to launching a second from his other sleeve. It got half way to Ukyo's driving wheel when the returning chain's claw hit a car bonnet and bounced up into the mesh, a fat blue spark flashing as electricity coursed down the metal chain.

#ZAP#

The Chinese boy's cry of pain went longer than the old circuit breaker, the lights going out and the cars going dead, even as the charge jolted through his leg muscles, launching him backwards out of the bumper car arena and into darkness between rides.

* * *

Jiro Ohata eyed the girl speaking to the Maitre'd, at the door to the French restaurant. He calmed the giddy feeling in his body, some anxious part of him wanting to know if this girl was his mystery admirer.

With a few words and a simple gesture, the girl waved off the Maitre'd who was about to escort her to the table, sashaying her hips as she made her way past tables to his.

He stood as she approached, their eyes on each other.

"Mr Ohata, I'm glad you came, I was worried my invite might have been a little unclear," she said in a sultry tone as his eyes brushed over the slinky red dress covering her curves. Her brown hair was immaculate in its pageboy style.

"I must thank you for the invite, it was most enjoyable, Ms...?" He said, moving around her to pull out the chair for her.

"Nabiki, and I assume Jiro is fine for you?" She smiled through glossed lips.

* * *

Akane could have groaned as Tofu asked another question of Ranma.

So far, it had been perfect. Ranma and Tofu's eyes had bugged out when their dates had come out, the pair in nice handsome suits for the occasion. The drive over in the taxi had been unsurprisingly quiet, as she and Ranma had tried to force conversation from the front passenger seat, Tofu seeming to crush in on himself between her and her sister on the back seat lest he brush again either and mar them or their outfits. The older Doctor only seemed to relax some when he caught Ranma glancing down at Akane's legs, though the doctor fortunately hadn't started copying that behavior to ogle Kasumi.

Surprising both girls and Ranma, the taxi had dropped them off in the heart of the city, within sight of the Tokyo Tower. The good Doctor led the group into a skyscraper, the elevator taking them to the circular structure on the roof, and the revolving restaurant it held. Between the views of the sparkling lights of the city below swirling gently around, the fine food, and only having to kick Ranma once under the table to assist his eating manners, everything was going perfectly.

Except of course, conversation. The older Doctor was able to hold a conversation quite well, but whenever a quiet pause came up, he immediately turned to Ranma with a question, normally work or martial arts related, to try and restart the conversation. Ranma did his best to get things back to the girls, but his own social skills were hardly stellar.

As the night drew on, the restaurant began to clear, and Akane's eyes narrowed, spotting a couple a few tables away taking over some walkway space to dance slowly to the light piano music pumped gently through the speakers in the ceiling. The next time Ranma looked her way, she smiled and nodded towards them.

Ranma glanced over, then back, then over again before he seemed to understand. His fast hands quickly swapped the failing candle on their table for that of the vacant next table.

Her smile became forced as she grimaced at him and nodded him towards the dancers again. He looked again, before looking at her, then at the couple and back at her, suddenly his face lit up and he smiled at her, then the smiled failed. Obviously he didn't get it.

Akane cracking her knuckles broke up Kasumi and Tofu's overly technical discussion of bandage and sling methods, "Sorry, just thinking of Kuno," she lied, instantly regretting it as it just confused Ranma more.

As the other couple returned to their talking and staring into each other's eyes, Ranma looked to Akane for some clue as to what she was on about, her index and middle fingers on each hands moving together like legs on the table cloth. Almost like dancing.

When his blue eyes lit up and he glanced to the dancing couple, Akane knew the boy finally got it, but when he looked back and her and shook his head, she saw he thought it was a suggestion. As it had on his manners, the sharp heel of her black pumps made their point.

"Ah, Akane, I know it's weird and all, but do you want ta dance?"

With a demure smile, Akane began to follow Ranma to stand, Tofu looking with almost panic as Ranma led into new territory. The older man stood too, both girls tried to ignore the doctor's whispers to Ranma, the boy whispering back louder with a cocky grin, "Just do exactly what I do."

Quickly moving past her sister's seat, Akane maneuvered herself around to her date as the doctor asked Kasumi if she too wanted to dance. Ranma closed on her with equal haste. "What do I do?" he whispered hurriedly.

Rolling her eyes, she quickly put his hands on either side of her waist, her own closing around the back of his neck as they swayed together, their eyes on each other, breaking only to glance at the other couple, staring eye to eye as they swayed together.

The music changed through song after slow song as the two couples swayed together, the night lit city twirling around them like stars, eyes lost in eyes, but finally other customers passed by, interrupting the dance and the moment, the group returning to their seats.

Tofu awkwardly began a conversation again, but his voice faltered, confusing Akane, however Ranma saw the strange look in Kasumi's eyes that stopped him.

Standing gently, the elder girl's hand stopped Akane from following, the same hand leaning Akane towards Ranma as the girl's other delicate hand reached over and touched the dark haired boy's arm, drawing it up, and raising his hand to Akane's cheek. Touching his shoulder, she pulled him closer to Akane, drawing their faces together, lips so close as to look as kissing behind Ranma's hand. Sitting, she took the older man's hand and placed it on her cheek, leaning towards him, hoping he recalled Ranma's instructions of following his lead.

Unable to see the other couple because of Ranma's warm hand on Akane's cheek, the teenagers simply looked in each others eyes, neither breathing, knowing that to lean forward, to even extend their lips towards each other, would make contact, hearts and minds warring.

The breaking of lips from the other couple and a pair of sighs, one ragged and one satisfied, broke Ranma and Akane apart, blushing badly. Not that any could see their embarrassment, as Kasumi and Tofu had eyes only for each other.

* * *

Stepping ahead before Mousse could take her hand and help her into the cage like Ferris wheel car, Shampoo didn't need to look behind her to know Mousse had followed her rather than await his other date, intending to sit beside her on this silly futile ride. His goofy grin under his thick lenses made her strain to hold her smile even as she prepared to lure him to one of the two person bench seats but lunge to sit beside Ukyo on the other and keep him at bay. 'Especially when smell burnt duck,' she mumbled to herself.

A whipping of cloth and a brief shadow over the entry gate as Ukyo entered made both Chinese martial artists look up. However, nothing seemed amiss, despite some confused looks shared by other park visitors in the queue for the ride. The car rocked as Ukyo slumped solidly to a seat without concern.

Without any sense of danger, Shampoo gestured to the other seat, "Sit here, silly Mousse."

"Of course my darling Shampoo," he returned to her in a happily dazed state, ignoring the clunk of the car door being locked by the operator outside. As he sat, the cage rocked again with the motion of the wheel. Mousse looked up at his date in anticipation, only to have his inane smile falter as Shampoo shucked his grip and sat beside Ukyo.

"What wrong with spatula girl?" Shampoo suddenly demanded with a shove, Ukyo's brown hair falling from her wooden head.

#Splash#

Cold water sloshed through the bars of the car at the Chinese pair.

* * *

Shaking off the confusion of being bundled up, Ukyo lashed out with a hand, then a foot, the latter striking solidly but the hands holding her in the cloth wrap managed to keep her bound till her feet found the ground. Shaking herself free, Ukyo's eyes blazed. "Okay jackass, you just bought a ticket to a beating!"

Crisp motions folding the bedsheet used in the impromptu kidnapping and body switch of his boss, Konatsu dropped to his knees and bowed to the brunette before him. "I am very sorry Ukyo-sama."

"Konatsu, what the hell is going on?" she demanded, eyeing the neat blue blazer and slacks the normally feminine boy wore, her eyes narrowing as she saw Junko's help behind his fashion choices. "Konatsu, so help me if you let Junko trick you into getting involved in this date…"

The bowed figure didn't move for a moment, before a brief nod changed to a sharp shaking his of his head, his long ponytail falling off his left shoulder to brush the ground. "It was not my choice, Ukyo-sama, my heart gave me no choice."

Stepping up and gripping his face to pull her waiter and friend up, Ukyo spoke in cool tones past the blush on her pretty face, "This wasn't really a date, it was a matter of honor."

Again he didn't react, then his eyes focused directly on hers, "It's a matter of my heart!" he said firmly.

Ukyo's heart thumped, her face frozen on the solid statement.

"Now kiss her!" he cried, then seemed to reconsider the words and moved up, his hands taking her shoulders as he brought his face up.

Ukyo's half lidded eyes pinned him in place even more than the hand on his chest held him off, her free hand grabbing his ear and the ear piece cord which ran down to the radio in his pocket.

* * *

"No you idiot, do it don't say it!" Junko cried into the radio again from on top of the Ferris Wheel car, even as she tossed the hot water kettle down under the lip of the car roof into the cabin for the cursed couple within. At least the plan of having this pair climb out before the other park visitors in disheveled clothes after the intimate ride was still on track.

Or so she thought until the dry and fully dressed Shampoo's fingers struck at her head from behind. "Now with remote control acupuncture, little nuisance girl do what Shampoo want."

* * *

Nabiki demurely patted her lips with her linen napkin, her eyes looking at the boy over the burning candles, his knife deftly dividing the last of his steak into two bite sized pieces, his fork lifting a marinated slice to his mouth.

"So are you planning on attending the fight in the park tomorrow?" she asked gently as she saw him swallow.

"I could care less about Saotome's latest victory. Does it interest you?" he replied idly as he snagged the last of the meat. His fork held as he eyed her with a dark curiosity, "Or does he?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I prefer the company of men able to read more than manga," she took a sip of her sparkling apple juice to let him smile at her quip before continuing. "I simply had a hand in arranging this fight."

"Now see I have a reason to attend tomorrow if you are going to be there."

Nabiki smiled at the off hand compliment, "True, but I'm not sure I want you there."

"You're not enjoying yourself tonight?" he asked with a slight frown, her eyes noting his brown didn't lose any confidence.

"Hardly, tonight has been better than I expected Jiro-kun," she returned with a smirk. "I'm just not sure I could respect you Sunday morning if I saw you tomorrow afternoon."

He covered his uncertainty quickly, but she caught it. "Meaning?"

"Meaning I arranged this fight to punish and humiliate the challenger, so I have done all I can to make sure Saotome will win. Even if you didn't actively support Tatewaki Kuno, to not cheer the local boy in victory would hinder my needs and desires." Her eyes held his as he grimaced and nodded.

"And though Saotome might have 'gotten lucky'," she pursed her lips, his face coloring and frowning, "against you in the past, the last thing I want is to make you sacrifice your pride and support Ranma in a fight for my sake." For a moment Nabiki thought she had taken things too far, but he relaxed his shoulders, taking back his control.

"Then I will acquiesce to your desire and not attend," he said slowly, waiting for her to reply to cut her off. "But it comes with a price, Nabiki-chan."

She smiled at him, forcing a blush and looking to the side, "And what would you have of me, Jiro-kun?"

"The most priceless thing you could give me."

"If I had a fan I'd play up the innuendo, but what answers do you want? What I know about you and how? Or why I asked you out?"

"And what of more about you and your background, Nabiki-chan?"

Waving her hand at one of the waiters, she smirked darkly at the boy. As the waiter brought the dessert trolley near, she gestured for Jiro to choose. "So many good things on offer, but too much at once dilutes the flavor of each. So which one do you want?"

Selecting the Black Forest cake, he let the waiter cut slices for the two of them. "I assume the slices will be generous?"

The middle Tendo lightly giggled huskily, as the waiter nodded and cut larger slices and placed them out. Taking her dessert fork, she cut off a corner with icing and cake, savoring this first morsel on her tongue. "Deliciously full of satisfying calories."

Tasting of the cake himself, he savored it as he considered his options. Finally, he nodded his eyes flashing. "Then my one question is why did you ask me out tonight, Nabiki-chan?"

"After looking Saotome up for my purposes, I found your personal history with his, and the more I looked the more I felt you had half the potential to hold my interest. Tonight, you might say, is my seeing if you felt I was intruding in your territory by using him in my plans, and seeing how you measure up, to me."

"And do I have your interest?"

"You have something to you, but only time will tell if it is more than fleeting. And what do you think of me?"

"Smart, witty, charming, and beautiful of course, with a tentative sensuality that I'm sure makes some men quiver."

Her brown eyes held his for a moment, a smile in his eyes at her reaction, before he looked to his plate, taking another forkful of the cake. Even knowing that he was playing her didn't stop part of her from knotting up at his 'tentative' remark, and she felt a 'tentative' surge of challenge to prove she could make him quiver.

* * *

"Shampoo, where's Mousse?"

With a smirk, Shampoo looked at her co-date, then back at the rotating Ferris wheel, Mousse's thick glasses twirling in her hand. "Shampoo ask if Mousse end date for kiss. Silly Mousse."

The distant clunk of the release bolt and the gasps of those in the queue beyond the opening door to the Ferris wheel car, seemed to startle those within. The cage like gondola rocked with Junko's cry of "Get off me you idiot!"

As she jumped out, covering her red face with her hands as she fled, the still wet Chinese boy leant out after her in only his pants, his loose black hair like a curtain behind him. "Shampoo my love, don't go! Let's go around again!"

"Idiot!" Junko cried, her shoe hitting him square in the face.

Her anger at waking up kissing Mousse in front of a crowd flared as she spotted the grinning Chinese Amazon, but the glare of her angry boss beside Shampoo held it in check. She spared a glance to her inept co-conspirator, who was hiding his face behind feminine fingers.

"Can we just go home and forget this ever happened?" She asked with a glance to the whispering ride goers in the queue still watching her.

"Mousse got his action, dates now over," Shampoo said with a smirk as she watched her childhood admirer extricating himself with a confused look on his face, calling her name.

* * *

Sena's long plaits hung down the left side of her head, her right ear against the drinking glass which in turn was held against the wood of the front door, listening to Kasumi and her brother out there saying so much without a single word. Her feet twitched with victorious energy.

Nodoka eyed her blushing son, Akane having fled with an equally red face, saying simply it had 'gone well'.

"I gather, my son, the food was satisfactory?"

"Huh?" His insight filled reply was reflected in the far away look in his eyes.

"Or are you thinking of your fight tomorrow?"

His manner changed, his posture shifting and tightening. "I'm ready for it." His hand brushed the back of his hair, seeking the pigtail that was no longer there. He stood suddenly, "I'm getting ta bed, say 'good night' to Akane and her sister for me."

His mother's eyes narrowed as he left, his intensity surprising her. He really didn't fear this Kuno boy, he was eager for the fight. If not for the boy's anger at the loss of his pigtail to the swordsman, she would have been just as confident of his victory. She would have to make sure that he was in a good mood going into the fight, or this swordsman would have the very advantage her son wanted.

* * *

The Black Rose of St Hebereke Girls School and one half of the premiere skating team Black Gold, Kodachi Kuno watched her brother prepare for this duel today. He was as focused as ever before. An enlarged photo of his opponent continued to take the brunt of his words and blows, even though it had already been so heavily slashed as to be unrecognizable. Added to this, he had fallen for another bit of lowborn fluff. The photo of the mysterious red haired tomboy in the red Chinese shirt would probably last as long as had the photos of his former love, the cheerleader, whatever her name was. She smiled as he turned from his opponent to the pictures of his two loves, a braid of red hair in one hand, blue black in the other, beseeching the gods that his heart was divided, twisting the braids together.

With another smile, she lifted the intercom handset, "Sasuke, you will of course record my brother's victory with a camera. I would especially love to see Akane Tendo's face as she is torn from her new boyfriend. Hohohohohohoho!"

* * *

Akane looked up at Ranma as the school bell rang, ending the half-day. Despite neither Anything Goes heir telling anyone of the event, rumors abounded of the fight today, between their own fellow student and the World Kendo Champion, though most had confused it into being over Akane as a girlfriend. She was used to rumor mongers, but this lot was pathetically obvious.

The boy in question got up from his seat with a stretch, like waking for the morning despite it being lunchtime.

"You ready?" she asked hesitantly, coming up from the seat behind him.

"Yeah, starving," he replied with a yawn.

"I mean the fight, baka."

His back straightened and he tensed, but his lips gave an evil version of that cocky grin, "Just trying to decide if I should win that with only one strike, or really teach him for cutting my hair?"

"Play this lightly Ranma, and you'll lose."

Ranma looked at Akane and grinned, "I don't lose, Akane. If you're that worried about it, I could do with a favor right before the fight?"

"Sure. Hurry up though, your Mother wants you to have a light lunch before you get ready."

* * *

The limousine pulled to the side of the road, the short ninja in a driver's cap jumping out of the driver's seat to rush around to the door, opening it so his employer could exit the vehicle. The tall boy emerged wearing traditional samurai robes, flicking his hair back as he surveyed the landscape. "Wherefore is my opponent? Wherefore is the lowly dog, Saotome?"

"I would suspect, your munificence, that perhaps he is beyond that crowd?" Sasuke replied in a tired voice.

"Oh Kuno-baby! Over here Kuno-baby!"

The kendo master held his wooden blade lightly at his side as he looked angrily at the approach of the smug sister of his beloved. Had not she brought to him the photos of the fiery-headed girl he had met at Ginza, he would have dismissed her already. No doubt the smile over her face was her betting among the crowd of plebeians on his victory. The viperous woman and her games of profit got under his skin like no other.

"What is it you wish for now, treacherous sister of my future?"

Rolling her eyes, Nabiki Tendo smiled back at him, "I'm your guide again Kuno-baby. We have quite a turn out to watch this fight. Ranma is a bit of a local hero, with a lot of victories. You might have to actually try to win this one."

"Victory shall be mine, but this you know in the depths of what you call a heart. Show me to the arena of Saotome's destruction."

Sasuke sighed and closed the Kuno family limo, readying the video camera as per the instruction of the mistress of the house, not that Master Kuno had complained of having a record of his victory.

* * *

Red faced, Akane tried to concentrate on what she was doing, and not on the whistles from the crowd, or Ukyo's hate filled glares from where she cooked off a portable grill for customers in the crowd. At least Shampoo and Sakura weren't here, she thought with a prayer for the Kami to keep them away, her hands massaging Ranma's bare back, oil smoothing into the muscled body on the table before her.

When Ranma had asked her to help him prepare, the idea that he would have her massaging him in front of a crowd in a park was not one that crossed her mind. Swallowing, she again focused on the actions and not the ridges of his muscles, somehow amazed at how hard and 'cut' he made his back, especially under the gleam of the oil.

The murmur of the crowd changed. Akane looked up to see Nabiki leading Kuno into the ring formed by the crowd of onlookers spread around an area nearly the size of a football field. Ranma had earlier marked out the ring with string, some onlookers ignoring it to get closer before those who had seen some of his fights before suggested they would be safer behind the string.

Kuno's eyes bugged out of his head as he saw his beloved, forced again into the outfit of the tournament the week before, now enslaved into oiling his opponent's back. His rage rose as Saotome climbed off the massage table, thanking Akane as she passed him his shirt.

"Hey Kuno, you ready to fight?"

Breathing deeply, the Kendo master held forth his wooden boken, wishing he had chosen steel to deal with this mangy dog. "Your insults will no longer be tolerated, Saotome, on this field you shall forfeit all!" A thunderbolt crashed overhead at his declaration, causing many in the crowd to look up at the darkening sky.

"That a yes?" Ranma replied cockily. "You remember the deal don't you? You win, Akane can leave and go anywhere she wants. I win, and you can't come to Juban or pester Akane for as long as she stays?"

With a nod of his head, he drew back his weapon, the wooden blade level with his eyes as his hands gripped it back, taking an exotic and intimidating pose.

Ranma bowed cockily as he did up the last tie on his shirt, then took a ready pose, and charged.

* * *

Between them, Nabiki and Akane just got the massage table back to where Nodoka, Kasumi, Sena, and Tofu stood in the crowd, when two battle cries rang out and the fight began. The group watched intently, as Ranma tried to close. A low sound of awe rose as the kendo fighter's blade churned through the air, waves of wind blowing Ranma back, clumps of grass and earth being torn up and tossed at him as his charge slowed.

"That's not a good start," Tofu said, as they watched Ranma dart right, breaking out of Kuno's cone of offence. The kendoist adapted quickly to propel a new offensive towards the martial artist, his stance shifting to the change in direction.

The red shirted martial artist charged into the swordsman, despite the wind rippling away from the fighter, the sound of slapping hits ringing out as blade and hands moved in a blur. A moment later Ranma flew back, rolling end over end before catching his footing to stand facing Kuno, flapping his hands like he was trying to cool them off.

"Kuno is too focused," Akane said, not taking her eyes off the fight. "Ranma's trying to stop the blade." Her fingers twitched as she regretted not bringing her batons or pompoms, so she could cheer him on and maybe try some Martial Arts Cheerleading to help soften Kuno up. Not that Ranma would have let her interfere in this fight.

"Ranma has had to fight opponents with reach advantages before. Don't give up on him yet Akane," Tofu said gently, but whether to convince her and the others or himself was not certain.

* * *

Kuno chortled as he held his blade still, watching his enemy's face as he realized that for all his cockiness there was no hope of victory here. "You face the unstoppable force of the Blue Thunder, dog. I may accept you surrender if you get on your knees in the mud and beg for it."

"You wish!" Ranma shot back, shaking his head, bringing his reddening hands up into a ready stance. His blue eyes narrowed, his stance opening confidently as he continued, "You think after the Seven Lucky Gods, Herb and the Musk Dynasty, and Saffron, you're in my league? Guess again!" As he spoke the names of others whom he had defeated, a strong golden glow coalesced between his hands. With the attack's name, he threw it forward, a golden shape like a tiger charging down upon the kendoist. "Moko Takabisha!"

Pouring his own breath and power into the wood of his weapon, Kuno slashed at the ki attack, splashing energy about as the two powers clashed, his stance breaking as he took several steps back, the energy and force washing over him like a wave but still he stood.

Ranma swallowed, breathing deeply after pouring so much power into the attack, his morale falling as the kendoist managed to deflect most of it. The swordsman's natural confidence in his abilities allowed much of the rest to pass through him. With a cocky smirk, he suppressed all signs of weakness. "Ready for round two, Blue boy?"

"I am the Blue Thunder! Aoi Raikou Dan!"

A wash of static electricity passed over the crowd as Kuno pointed at the insolent fighter before him, a bolt of lightning springing from the wood to strike the ground where the dark haired boy had just leapt away.

Ranma grimaced as he dove clear of the blast, knowing no amount of confidence would stop that trick. He had to finish this, and finish it fast. And the way the kendoist was using the wind that wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

Grimacing, Akane unconsciously dug her hands into the edge of the massage table, her worry for Ranma making her knuckles white as he fought for her, and for his own pride. Again the heir of the Saotome School of Anything Goes was rushing his opponent, seeming content to trade blows of his flesh against wood as he moved around his opponent, looking for an opening without getting his limbs chopped off.

Again the pair broke apart, both breathing heavily as they recouped from the fighting, but neither wanting to show weakness before the other. When Ranma's blue eyes glanced worriedly to her over the battlefield, she tried to send back all the faith she had in him that she already felt fading as the kendoist blocked every attack. Her heart rose as she saw in his eyes a growing strength from the connection.

* * *

Ranma glanced at Akane, giving her a reassuring gaze before looking back at the fighter, recalling the focus of the idiot on his beloved Akane. He looked into the swordsman's eyes with an attempt at a remorseful look.

"Hey Kuno, before I forget. Whatever you might think, it was Akane's idea to tattoo my name on her boob."

Kuno stopped dead still, his shocked face white.

The crowd stopped still and looked at Akane.

Akane stopped still, her shocked face red.

Ukyo stopped still, her shocked face purple.

Ignoring the girl and the start of her denials, Ranma stepped nearer to Kuno, "Just kidding," he said as much to the crowd as to the swordsman about the nonexistent tattoo, before leaning in to whisper, "It was my idea."

"Die Demon!"

Kuno exploded into action, his face twisted in fury and his voice crying out nonsensical Shakespearean gibberish. His blade burning with flaming ki as he hacked at the boy with scorching slashes that tore the ground, tossing mud and smoking clumps into the crowd. Kuno's target yelped and jumped around the blows, backing up and to the right before the unthinking onslaught of the kendo master.

* * *

"What's he doing?" Akane demanded as she got her voice back, her concern for the idiot for now overriding the embarrassment of lying in public about her having a tattoo on her chest. Kuno's destructive slashes were churning the park to mud and Ranma ran around and around him, making no attempt to fight or block, just staying one step ahead of the reach of the swordsman's wooden blade. Her eyes narrowed as she realized the circles were tightening in to a central point, vast waves of hot ki burning off Kuno's enraged attack swirling around the focus point.

Nodoka smiled as she saw her son begin leading the kendo master into a final move. Reaching out, she took Nabiki and Kasumi and pulled them back a step towards her. "We should huddle together, this can get a little windy."

* * *

Ranma felt the heat all around as he led Kuno in the last steps of the spiral, robbing his breath of fresh air, the mindless assault of the swordsmen not looking like it was ever going to stop. With the rush of victory, he charged in, his soul taking in the nearness of death to chill to freezing.

"HIRU SHOTEN HA!"

The cry went out as he stepped into the blade's arc, tilting back like a speeding limbo artist, to get under Kuno's weapon and throw a corkscrewing uppercut, the cold of his soul flooding out, attracting the swirling heat from the swordsman's previous attacks.

The tornado blowtorched into the sky, creating a sudden pressure low that sucked wind in over the crowd, blowing more than one over and stealing hats. It soared into the clouds, carrying at its heart a hapless Tatewaki Kuno.

The attack's power to draw in more air to feed it took many seconds to wane. The tornado finally petered out, dust swirling and falling gently back to the ground of the park, showing a ragged and wind swept Ranma. He stood shakily with one hand in the air, mud splatters over his bare chest, the remains of his pants in tatters.

Those still watching the twister above saw its end catch its beginning, vanishing into the atmosphere that formed it. Its contents of branches, leaves, litter, hats, and a Kendo master fell crashing to the ground.

Ranma staggered over to the unmoving form, clearly impressed with his efforts, and just as clearly only standing by the energy of his confidence and pride.

Doctor Tofu was the first to approach, taking on a professional demeanor as he checked the unconscious boy, "He's okay. Just unconscious."

"He didn't have much," Ranma said as he gave his mother a thumbs up, the crowd either groaning or cheering as the winner was left standing.

Akane shook her head as she approached, part of her wondering how to make him teach her that move, another part wanting to thank him for driving the pervert away from her for a while.

Someone else beat her to thanking him as Ukyo rushed past, grabbing Ranma. "Ranchan, you won!" she cried, even as his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out, his head lolling to the side as Ukyo kissed him, her lips landing on a muddy ear.

A jealous spike tore through Akane, but vanished as quickly as it arose, robbed of meaning by his passing out and Ukyo's miss.

Akane shook her head again at Ranma's comment about 'Not having much', even as he was on the verge of collapse. "Baka."

To be continued...

Special thanks for proofing to hpackrat, Jamieson, and the awesome English precision of MZephyr.

Between the demoralizing effect of losing most all my notes and starting my own company working on computers, computers had become less a source of artistic endeavor, but I promised myself I will finish this fic, I am just sorry for it being so slow in coming.

Next up, a shorter chapter up in the mountains on a ski trip. Expect frostbite!

Special thanks to FF for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.

Trent O'Donoghue.


	10. Chapter 10

Category:Ranma Fanfiction

Meeting Later Chapter 10

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

This two-part arc is rated "Anime Hotspring", for adult situations and exploitative nudity.

Authors note: The beginning of this fic starts with a child's game that is rare outside of English, but not unheard of from one source in Japan.

Last updated: 13 Nov 2008

Akane was walking beside a young mother, Kozue, and her daughter, Mitchi, trying to seem as one of them amongst the flurry of travelers disembarking the train, rather than associated with the two boys on the other side.

"Breasts!"

"Nope!" Ranma replied to little Aiko, smirking as the eight year old giggled. Unfortunately this focus left him not paying nearly enough attention to Akane's gloved hands, clenching into rock hard fists at her sides.

This game, not that Akane had found it fun, started when the victorious martial artists had met with a young mother and her two adorable kids, Aiko and his younger sister Mitchi, on the Bullet train up to the snowfields of Shiga Kogen. The scenery whipping by was very pretty, and the forward facing seats of the express train made the window side seats, somewhat desirable for the novice passenger, especially exciting to the young. Akane and Ranma had seats on the other side of the aisle to the young family, but when the children started to get loud while fighting over the window seat, embarrassing their mother, Akane had introduced herself and Ranma, offering up her own window seat to her son Aiko.

Like any trip, travel games had soon come up, 'eye spy' an easy one. It had been well too, until the stretch when the letter 'B' had been chosen by her for 'Bag'. That was when a rather over endowed young lady had passed their view as she moved through their carriage. Aiko had pointed and cried 'Breasts'.

Akane and Akio's mother had the decency to look embarrassed as most of the carriage including the young lady, had looked around. Ranma had tried not to laugh as he smiled at the woman and gestured at the boy with a helpless shrug, explaining with a simple, 'Eye spy. It was B but I don't think he's right.' Then he had turned to her with, 'Was it Akane?'

Unfortunately Aiko had added a helpful, 'Akane doesn't have breasts.'

Sinking into her chair, Akane had almost missed the warm smile and wink the young lady had thrown her companion, her anger impotent as she had sat embarrassed when a pair of businessmen in other seats, had leaned to try and see the truth of the boy's statement. Unfortunately, having swapped her seat with Aiko in order to talk to Mitchi and the children's mother, left her unable to choke Ranma and stop his reply about her being a girl and having breasts that were hidden by her jacket.

Then for the last half hour of the trip, the boys continued the game, Ranma picking a 'B' every time to which Aiko replied predictably, the pair giggled together, followed by more serious guesses.

Seeing the sign pointing through the busy station, towards bus platform B, where they would catch their ride up to the Ski lodge, Akane bowed and thanked Kozue and Mitchi, sneaking a look at the boys before quickly using a nearby soda machine as mother and daughter said goodbye to Ranma.

A grinning Ranma joined her as she handed him the first can of soft drink, freeing her hand so she could wave to the family vanishing into the crowd.

"Nice kids, huh?"

"You seemed to enjoy yourself," she replied, smiling at the kids, even as her voice was as cold as the snow outside.

"Huh, you upset about something?" he asked, finger on the pull ring of the can.

She glared him again, turning away with a shrug, "I'll get over it. Come on, platform B is this way."

Ranma's confusion lasted till he opened the can, getting a face full of cola for refreshment from the previously shaken up container.

"That was so uncute!" the suddenly female red head cried after her smirking companion.

* * *

"Whyfore, Sasuke, Whyfore! Why is it, that when I knoweth the destination, I knoweth the date, and I knoweth the gratitude my beloved will have for me in attending, yet you cannot do this one simple thing?"

The ranting words of his master shouted at his face ruffled the stringy moustache above the ends of his lips, as the diminutive ninja servant of the Kuno family stood to accept the frustrations of his master. That this weekend happened to be the first of the snow season on Mitsupurezentou Mountain, and that for the whole weekend the Koibito no Tansai Ski Lodge and Hot Springs was booked solid, and no amount of money, fame, or bluster could open up a room for the world's greatest Kendo fighter.

Convincing said world's greatest Kendo fighter of all this was even more difficult.

The sudden unexpected chime of the bell at the entrance to the Kuno family home, unexpected as the three family members in residence tended to have rather short lists of friends, gave Sasuke an excuse to escape. His taller master dismissed him, Kuno turning to the phone to assert his wrath on the clerk at the resort. Unfortunately, the tiny voiced operator he was ordering connect him with the insufferable retreat, was too terrified to actually help him, and so he was ranting down the line when the blond haired woman swept into the room.

"Master Kuno, Tatewaki Kuno? #The# boyfriend of Akane Tendo?"

Jaw hanging open at the glorious confirmation of his identity from the stunning young woman before him left him momentarily speechless, the handset sliding from his limp fingers as his eyes trailed over the visitor, his words stumbling as he tried to shift gears to this new interruption. "Koibito... Boyfriend... Yes..."

"Ah, Koibito no Tansai, yes, excellent," Sakura gushed, as she stood in her tight black designer ski pants, her cleavage and medallion visible out of the golden tube top under the open jacket that matched her pants with a gold stripe off the shoulder and down the back. Her blonde plaits were coiled up on either side of her head, and pinned in tight buns, as she smiled her stunning white teeth to the young man before her, "I was told you had been attempting to get lodging there, which concerned me, as I had been told my own people had hand delivered your invite to you weeks ago."

"My invite?" Kuno queried with his eyes on Ms Shishimi's medallion.

Not letting her irritation show, Sakura pushed on, "Why yes, to make sure that dear, sweet, #lonely# Akane-chan, isn't left as a third wheel while my fiancИ and I enjoy ourselves."

"Akane... You... you were the girl who faced Akane in the final battle of that freestyle tournament, before my fierce tigress bested you?"

Sakura's mouth opened to refute, but she bit her tongue, "It was a struggle but Akane was had the blessings of the day. Sakura Shishimi, but might we save further introductions? My family's helicopter is ready to leave within the hour, the sooner we depart, the sooner you are reunited with your girlfriend. How quickly can you be ready..."

Her voice led off as Sasuke appeared with two cases, a set of skies, and his Master's winter jacket and shoes.

"Sasuke, bring forth our family car," the scion of the line of Kuno demanded, gesturing for his enigmatic new ally to follow towards the driveway.

"There is no need, my luggage is already in my family's limousine, waiting out the front."

Sasuke saw Kuno's eyes looking for once at Sakura's eyes, trying to judge if he had been one-upped, only to give up as if a woman could do so to his munificence.

Munificence proven again as the short ninja struggled to get the luggage aboard, then a discrete nod commanded him to join the bags, squeezing into the trunk space, closing it on himself.

* * *

The heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts had a smirk imprinted on his face.

And his companion didn't like it at all.

He had managed to at least appear to enjoy the view out the window as the small luxury bus climbed from the train station up to Koibito no Tansai Ski Lodge and Hot Springs. His black hair was still sticky from his friend's soft drink prank, though a cup of hot water from the small tea service had gotten it off his face and returned him to his normal gender.

Taking in the view with her companion always in her side view, Akane tried to calm her nerves, convince herself that he hadn't done anything and was just trying to freak her out with an empty grin. She couldn't accuse him of doing 'something', and so sat squirming, waiting for his payback to reveal itself.

"Ug!" Ranma grunted, looking out with disgust as they came within view of the pink trimmed white building of the main resort. Like a long temple, it extended what he guessed was north to south on a rock shelf backing up to a cliff face, reaching high to the mountain's sharp peak. Among the white of the snow, and the gray of uncovered stone, wafts of steam gently floated above the pink building.

"Ug Ranma? What did you expect of this place? Nabiki was laughing so hard she couldn't talk straight on the phone, when she found out just the name, Sweethearts on Discover Gift Mountain. She said to watch out for any perverted businessmen," Akane recalled with a faint blush and sickened expression. "They like to bring their new secretaries and assistants up here,"

"Ug is cause I was hoping not to have to deal with Sakura's crap since her people arrange this prize. All those rooms look dark. I hope to Kami it isn't going to be just us three."

"Careful what you wish for Ranma," Akane warned with a grin.

The vehicle slowed as it pulled up to the middle of the building, stopping in front of the main entrance. Ranma climbed out immediately as the driver opened the door, with an eye on the classical Japanese gate and entryway, one of the main doors before them opening as a young man in a formal kimono walked quickly down to assist the driver with the luggage. Making way for Akane, Ranma turned to offer her his hand, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, then distracted as the help stumbled on the stairs, red faced, eyes on the bus, then at her, then quickly at the ground as he focused on helping with the luggage.

Climbing out, Akane looked back at the bus, steeled herself for what he had done but still shocked when she saw a set of her underwear - bra, briefs, and pantyhose, all hanging from bus's antenna. In the wind while driving, her unmentionables would have been like flags, and worse they were a racy black set that Aunty had purchased for her.

From standing, she leapt up to land on the bus's roof with her knees, reaching out to yank the items down, quickly stuffing them into her jacket. Her eyes glared at her torturer, already safely at the entrance door with some of the bags. She was left to drop back down to follow the driver and red-faced young attendant in, unwilling to draw more attention to her embarrassment by taking her bag to put them away. 'Actually I didn't even pack these,' she suddenly thought, her stomach sinking at what else she'd find in her bag if Aunty Nodoka had 'helped' her pack.

'Please no thongs,' she mentally begged the heavens.

* * *

Opening the door, she had expected the dark haired boy to be smirking at her again, but instead he was raising his voice at the receptionist.

"Let me guess? Sakura Shishimi?"

"What's going on Ranma?" Akane asked, approaching, wanting to know what had gotten under her friend's skin now, only for all in the entrance foyer to look up at the roof as the fast paced chop of the helicopter rotor passed over the building.

"Mr Saotome, I believe that is Ms Shishimi arriving now. If we could wait..."

"Whatever, fine, get her in here," Ranma said, shaking his head as he turned back to Akane. "She's put you in the south wing while me and I imagine her are meant to be in the north. Do you believe this?"

"You don't?" Akane replied with a shrug. "No use getting bent out of shape. If she insists, we'll get a second futon and share one room, then you'll have me to protect you from your scary fiancИe."

Matching her poked out tongue by pulling down his lower eyelid to give her the red eye, Ranma shook his head. "You go find a guy as scary as her to chase you, and then you can mock me."

"I have Kuno, so I'll mock you all I want."

"Oh please, I would take ten Kuno's if it meant ditching her for good."

"You wouldn't last with Kuno after you, or are you thinking about him as boyfriend material?"

Ranma's eyes flashed as the subject of his curse came up, but didn't take it as a low blow... yet. "Hey, compared to Sakura, Kuno's a gentleman. He has kept his word didn't he? How long has it been, over three weeks, since we heard anything from him? Or maybe you just never really tried to turn him down before, just playing hard to get?"

"Excuse me?" she exclaimed, pulling up a fist, but his smirk pulled at the corners of her own mouth.

"Well if you make threats with your pantyhose hanging out your jacket, what do you expect?"

Blushing, Akane hurriedly pulled the foot of her hose fully back into her jacket. "I still owe you for that," she warned, but he simply nodded.

"Just play fair and stay out of the kitchen. No use poisoning everyone, huh?"

The smile vanished from her face and she lashed out with a punch, Ranma retreating across the room as she advanced offensively.

The opening of the outside door let a blast of cold blow in, both turning in ready poses like threatened, guards tight, side by side.

* * *

Allowing her guest to act the gentleman and open the door for her, Sakura Shishimi smiled gently as she took off her furred cap, freeing her golden locks with a head wave. Stepping out of the freezing air her eyes locked on the pair before her. The defensive countenance of her handsome fiancИ, his build hidden under the thick jacket, was immediately the fault of the short bitch beside him, matching his stance.

With a falsely sweet smile, Sakura moved in, "Ranma darling, I'm..." only to be cut off.

"Kuno!" the martial artists bellowed as they ignored the blonde girl for the figure posing in the open doorway, only for his dashing figure to be bumped forward as the released door shut on him.

"Verily, for while I doth honor my pledge, my love would not stop at any length to again reunite us, my fierce Tigress." His hand moved to the hilt of his wooden blade like it was a true weapon befitting his samurai countenance, his eyes shifting from Akane to Ranma, from affection to glaring. "And I see the foul knave still pollutes your presence with his ugly visage, underhanded tricks, and uncouth mouth."

"What are you doing here, Kuno?"

Akane shook her head at her companions demand, "Blame your fiancИe, Ranma. I'll bet she plans for you and her to be alone in the North wing while I'm pestered by him in the South."

Sakura's smile said she was right, happy that the girl realized her place, but a raised hand from the young uniformed woman standing behind the counter interrupted her, moving forward. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, Ms Shishimi, but perhaps there has been a miscommunication. Your guests for room two in the south wing have already checked in. Do..."

"Checked in? This is my guest here. Whom did you let in?" Sakura demanded.

"HOHOHOHOHOHOHO!"

The high, loud, laughter reverberated through the entrance foyer, Ranma turning to be on guard against the new arrivals, Akane moved into a full sideways roll to spring up with both the new couple and Sakura and Kuno in view.

"My dear Sakura, I must say I was surprised by your invite but I simply couldn't say no." Kodachi called out as she stepped into the hall, accepting the glare from her rival. "Oh my, please don't tell me you didn't receive our RSVP, I'd hate to have inconvenienced you."

Behind her, amused at the glaring match with his lover's former rival, Kodachi's handsome blonde fiancИ surveyed the others, Kuno's wary look, Tendo's annoyance at being ignored in the glaring match, and the dark haired strangers confusion. Mikado Sanzenin's grin fell when he met the blue eyes of the man.

"You, you were the scoundrel who accosted my future wife in the change room at that shop in Ginza!" he accused.

Ranma started in surprise at the call, wondering how he was getting blamed for something he would never do. He could feel Sakura's shock, and Akane's wary glare, but as he looked again at the man's future wife, he recalled the incident with the change room while running from Karumi and her sister came flooding back, some of it, like the black rose motif, in surprising detail. "Ah, wait, I wasn't accosting no one, I was... I was just passing through, I didn't peek. You remember Miss? I had my eyes closed, didn't I?"

Rolling her eyes at his patheticness, Akane straightened up. "Her name is Kodachi Kuno, and he is Mikado Sanzenein. Kodachi, this is Ranma Saotome."

"A pleasure to meet you once more," the black haired young woman purred, flowing forward in a quality black jacket and tights ensemble, but her outstretched hand was taken by her fiancИ even before Sakura also moved to reach her before she got to Ranma. Ignoring the others, she smiled her white teeth, "But perhaps you would better know of us as The Black Rose and The Golden Star of the premiere martial arts ice skating team, Black Gold?"

"Nope, sorry," Ranma said a little too casually, Akane and Sakura smirking at the irritation on Kodachi's face. A byplay missed by Ranma as he glancing back at Tatewaki. "But you related to him?"

"Indeed, she is my twisted sister and he, her lecherous partner," the taller boy stated with contempt, "And whyfore little sister, doth thou seek to interfere in this joyous reunion of my glory with my love?"

Akane raised her hands again, ready to beat the predictable kendoist back as he tried to hug her, but he never reached her. Ranma's quick feet kicked his discarded pack, sliding it across the floor to trip the upperclassman over.

Ignoring the men, Sakura glared at Kodachi. "Unfortunately, that invite was for your brother, I'm afraid there are no spare rooms for you to stay here as well."

Kodachi grinned, "Except for every other room. If you wish to play games my dear, do tell the help what they can and cannot admit to. Pre match preparation was always your weak point." A club raised in her hand as chopsticks snapped ready in the blonde's fingers.

"Attacking your opponent from ambush was not preparation, you cheat..."

A strange grunt, low but unmistakable cut through all involved, eyes drawn to an elderly woman entering the hall. Her thick kimono around her plump form was pink with white branches and leaves snaking over it and bound with a white sash, the same colors as the outside of the building, and that of the uniform of the girl behind the counter. Her face was wrinkled under long dry white hair, with a roll of fat around her neck between collar and chin line. But her formidable dark gaze robbed all the young adults of any bluster and aggression.

"Honored guests, dinner for six shall be ready in an hour. Extra rooms will be prepared. Drinks are available in the dining room while you wait."

* * *

Akane and Sakura laughed loudly, shoulders shaking as the latter imagined the details supplied from the memory of the former, recalling Kodachi landing in a crowd of spectators, specifically on the lap of a fat, balding, older man.

Akane controlled herself with a sip of sake, her face red as she continued, more to Sakura than the others, "He had this cola drink and it went all up her, and then she clocked him clean past the jaw. Thing is, we found out later, he was the agent for the Tokyo regional gymnastic organisation."

Cackling with glee, Sakura nodded, bouncing with excitement, "And that's why she wasn't at regionals that year?"

Kodachi drank more of the complimentary sake, with a glare promising vengeance for the girls, even as the three young men with them tried to not laugh openly at the humiliation of the girl.

Ranma snagged some of the last of the teriyaki beef with his chopsticks, the dark-haired girl's anger radiating in such a way, he did not want to risk getting as reckless as Akane and Sakura were on the sake, as each continued bouncing stories of victories over Kuno's sister between them. That and he did not want to have an upset stomach tomorrow morning. His eyes drifted to the older woman near the door, the elder hostess watching silently with wide eyes, a couple bottles of sake, Sakura had started ordering earlier, sat on a warming tray beside her.

"I'll have you know, that fat hog of a talent scout was too free with his hands," the Kuno heiress defended waspishly, though Akane's eyes rolling suggested she didn't believe it. "Though perhaps if I too was forced to stuff my bra to hide a mannish figure, I might forget my gender and pursue the fairer sex. In fact, it was in public that you acted so aggressively, was it not? With that over endowed air headed teacher?"

Her laughter stopped, and her Akane's lips now a thin line as Sakura continued to cackle, this time at her. "Just another opponent I have beaten who you can't defeat Kodachi. Then again it is hardly fair to compare a gymnast to anyone trained in Anything Goes Martial Arts." Taking another sip of sake if only to appear indifferent to the dark haired girl, she glanced at the others, seeing Kuno nodding sagely, not that he had ever defeated the schoolteacher, and Mikado leering with unfocused eyes. Ranma's eyebrows had risen, and she quickly moved to stop him jumping to any conclusions.

"Hinako Ninomiya," she said to remind him of a previous talk they had had. "My homeroom teacher at my school, I told you about her, Master Happosai trained her as a child."

"Yes," Kodachi interrupted but agreeing with her, "And like her Master and her father, Akane enjoys feeling her up."

"My father might have been on a date with her, but he was a gentlemen," Akane snapped back with a grimace at the age confused teacher who had been hitting on her father for many months now. The younger woman smirked as she locked eyes again with Kodachi, "Do you recall how you ended up after you took on Hinako during that sport match."

Akane again purposefully turned from Kodachi to Ranma, "She got put down so hard she was powerless when the girl's gymnastic team strung her up by her own ribbon on the scoreboard and drew in permanent marker on her face."

Sakura burst with renewed laughter as the pair snipped each other, drawing Akane's attention, "If you ever come to Furinkan High, Sakura, ask the sports department to see the photo, they have it framed."

Ranma was tense, almost reaching to hold Akane back, expecting the glowering Kodachi to dive over the table at Akane, regardless of that evil looking old woman near the door ready to serve them as guests.

"Is there anything else we can get for anybody," the white haired host asked from the doorway, obviously cutting into the loud and tightening atmosphere.

"Oh yeah," Ranma spoke up, swallowing a half chewed snow pea, "Can Akane and I get a full breakfast in her room in the morning? Is that cool, Mama-san?"

Akane at least had the decency to flush red at the request, Sakura pale and horrified, Kuno little better, though Kodachi looked moderately impressed.

Mistaking the confusion on Akane's face, Ranma shook his head. "You ain't backing out of this. I've been waiting a month for this, Champ."

"Oh," Akane exclaimed, not completely relieved, but recalled that with tomorrow being the first of the month, and the title of Champion of Breakfast up again. She squared her shoulders to him, "Oh dream on, you aren't even close to being on top."

Kuno's trembling and Sakura fumbling for her chopsticks made Akane realize the others hadn't caught up. "It's not what you think, perverts. It's a breakfast battle. It is part of our school. And I am undefeated," she added with a grin at Ranma.

"Yeah, but this time your sisters aren't there to help, and you are out of tricks."

* * *

"Come in."

Dressed in a heavy yukata robe, his hair brushed and straight, Ranma pushed open the door with a toe, and stepped into Akane's room holding the long tray of breakfast foods.

He glanced away as he saw her rushing to put a robe of her own over her thick pajamas, taking in the difference in her room to his next door. An end suite, it was only a little bigger than his, but dominated by a large window, its curtains open to the blue sky and views to the ski fields. Otherwise the dИcor was identical, if sedate. A low table, with a plastic flower array, some tasteful paintings on the wall, a decent sized television with video in a glass front cabinet.

"You ready for another loss?"

With a grin for Akane, Ranma put the tray on the table, and began to set out the plates between them, a large grilled fish in the center.

"Got your crown on, Champ?"

"Huh?" Akane said from pouring two cups of steaming tea from the pot on the tray.

"Your hair is all over the place."

"Eep!" With a blush, she jumped up, grabbing a comb.

"You're pretty easy to shake up this morning. You ain't giving up already are ya?"

Finally returning, she brought a glass of water for each of them, and took her place. "Dream on, jerk. I just don't want to give Kuno any other excuse to think you're in here improperly."

"You care what he thinks?" Ranma asked as he took his seat.

"I care what rant I will be hearing every time he turns up for the next two days. I'm surprised he hasn't burst in yet."

"He was snoring as I walked past to get breakfast. That old Mama-san picked pretty accurately who shouldn't be near each other when she rearranged the rooms, but we're all in the same wing now."

"And Sakura is right across the hall in the other end suite," Akane complained.

"Yeah, but she was drinking pretty heavily last night after she thought I was making a move on you from what I said about breakfast."

"Yeah, like you'd have the guts."

Akane flushed at the accusation, wondering what she was thinking, while he blushed, his mouth opening but no rebuke coming out as his mind derailed with inappropriate thoughts. Finally he regained composure first, "Are we gonna do this or not? Ready?"

"For the title of champion of breakfast for December," Akane stated in a passable impression of Aunty Nodoka, then grinned darkly. "The defending champion is ready."

"Go."

Hands flashed back and forth as food was inhaled, and Akane grinned getting an early edge.

So early that Akane fleetingly thought it might be a trap, she saw an opening, his hand tilted to let her pincer the back of his chopsticks with her own. It was a trap and as Akane struck, he was surprised at how slow it was, his mouth smiling around rice, but his brow furrowing as his hand was far too slow itself.

Swallowing, both locked eyes.

"What the hurrrr..." "What's goringgg..."

Both sat paralyzed, looking at each other over the mostly uneaten breakfast, when the door slid open, an amused pair entering in a surprisingly quiet entrance.

A grunt from Ranma attempted to ask who it was, his back to the entrance, but the dark haired Kodachi caught on. "Good morning, I hope we're not interrupting?"

"It is rude of them not to answer you Ko-chan," Mikado came in with a wide and white smile, "Oh good dear, it looks like they're finished."

"Oh dear, are you two having trouble digesting?" Kodachi stated with an indulgent smile for Akane, bending in a tight, form fitting, high quality snowsuit. As black as her hair, a dark purple rose emblem glittered with reflections from the window on her right breast, as she dragged her hands down Ranma's chest from behind.

Mikado frowned but busied himself with the disk player under the television, slotting in a disk as Kodachi knelt to rest her chin on Ranma's shoulder, her hands roaming his chest as she hugged his paralyzed form. Her dark eyes locked onto Akane's, "This is simply turn about my dear, after all I found your fun and games with the blonde bimbo rather unpalatable last night."

With little effort, she lifted Ranma's kneeling form up to place at the end of the table, facing the television. Akane grunting out an angry sound as Mikado did the same to her, and took a liberty as he did.

With a shrug, the blonde young man weathered his fiancИes glare, looking meaningfully at the blue-eyed male. "Fair play and all, and you were the one who claimed she had been stuffing. Turns out she is a late bloomer."

As Kodachi opened her mouth for a reply, she felt Ranma beside her leg tremble and grunt as he caught on to what Mikado had done out of his direct vision. "My my, be careful my future husband. You've angered this one rather more than myself or your late bloomer.""And here I thought Miss Tendo could fight her own battles, perhaps she is becoming a wall flower," Mikado quipped, ignoring them as each grunted illegibly. "Come, let us enjoy the slopes, and maybe after some fun in the snow you can show me a true Japanese bloom."

Kodachi giggled flirtatiously as she took up the remote control, "Of course, but let's not leave these two with nothing to do."

Both were forced to watch as the television came on, the screen showing a copyright disclaimer, as a bar appeared for the volume, which rose to its highest levels. "Enjoy, and say 'Good morning' to Sakura-chan when she awakens." A lazy toss sent the remote to land on Akane's lap.

Both paralyzed martial artists looked confused at the screen as they heard the door close. On the screen, a simple home was shown on the screen, the camera zooming in on a fit looking man in a tight shirt, with a moustache, carrying pool cleaning supplies and a leaf net, came up the path and knocked on the door. The door opened, a woman in pink lingerie and too much makeup smiled, as cheesy muzak began to play.

"Hey, I'm here to clean the pool," the man said loudly.

* * *

Red faced, Yumiko, the Koibito no Tansai Ski Lodge's youngest employee, rushed through the kitchen... till Gori's leg kicked out, to block her from the laundry.

"What's wrong with you?"

With a shy glance at the gruff old cook, Yumiko shook her head, but when his leg didn't move, she slumped, "The couple who wanted the private breakfast, they're... I heard them... doing it. Loudly."

With a chuckle at her shyness, Gori brought his leg back and refocused on the stove. "Well good for them, and keep your mouth shut to your Grandmother. If they wake her fine, if you do, for something like this, she'll grumble all day."

* * *

"Mow."

"Mot dah mel dah ma meah Mow? Pehbeht!"

"Muh? Mhow sis miss ma malt? Bid mou mow mou coumd mo mit lie matt?"

"Mhot?"

"Mhot?"

Akane tried to cross her eyes from the athletic erotic display on the television screen coming to a climax, fighting her muscles for movement that refused to work.

"Mih mussed muprid? Mid moo moh..."

"Mhut mup!"

Her loud grunt made Ranma nod and shut up, surprising him away from the limber action on the screen and back into moving, without much luck.

A shuffling of cloth made her refocus from her growing panic, catching Ranma swaying from the corner of her eye.

Further grunting by Akane was unintelligible but her inquisitive tone let him guess, "Mif my cam met mo mhe remome, my cam murn mit moff." His eyes on his target, the remote on Akane's lap.

"Mhot?"

Rather than try to explain it again, the dark haired young man tilted further, his heart dropping as he reached a precarious tilt to the wrong way, then shifted all he could, and with an internal cheer toppled over, banging his temple on Akane's knee.

"Mow."

Worse than the pain, the fall had jarred the table, and tipped one glass over, its contents pouring to coldly soak into his robe.

Akane snorted in amusement at his groan, then a muffled hopeless chuckle emerged as his dark hair turned red against her leg.

Ranma shared the chuckle as she stretched her immobile form only enough to see the remote she hoped to reach, still inches away from her face on her friend's lap.

Both gave a sudden sigh as they saw the love scene on the screen end and fade to black.

Both gave a moan as a new scene opened.

Uncaring for their uncomfortable situation, the screen this time portrayed school students, ending class, and going to after school clubs, a pair of girls in gi were practicing Judo alone when their practice turned to a far more intimate grappling, quickly coming to loud moaning.

"Mam mhats moumd."

Akane would have nodded had she been able to, "Mits moming moo make Sekoora, man sme mill keel me!"

On cue, the door to the hall slid open.

"What goes on here? Unhand my beloved you fiendish..."

Tatewaki Kuno's eyes swept the room, quickly looking for his distressed future bride, initially missing the still pair in front of the TV because of their lack of movement. His mighty vengeance left without a target, he looked around the room again for the demonic trickster Saotome, only to suddenly realize the second occupant of the room was indeed the red haired beauty he had met while shopping.

Enacting sheathing his wooden blade as if a real weapon into a real scabbard, not just his belt. Raking fingers through his brown hair, he approached the two divine figures on this suddenly glorious morning.

"I hope there's room for one more?"

Kuno stopped startled as a male voice intervened. For a brief second he worried it had been his own glorious mouth, but there on the TV his lovely companions watched, a young man in kendo garb was interrupting two underclad girls, leering as he joined in.

"Whyfore? What would you two virginal flowers be watching such?" Kuno asked in a confused voice, only for his mind to reach new conclusions, "Unless the fiend Saotome forces you to watch thus?"

He ignored a groan from the pair, who had yet to look up at him. "Ah, ney, I see it now, you seek freedom from the enslavement of the foul Saotome, but you cannot ask this of me, so you leave me a subtle hint!"

"Mell Nho!" Ranma-chan cried but was unheard as Akane gave a loud, toneless squeal of terror.

"Yes my dears, I understand!" Kuno cried, kneeling down beside Ranma, not that the red head needed to see him to feel his approach.

"Muno!"

"Yes my dear, do not worry, I will be..."

"Mry mhe mish! Mhe mish! Mry mhe mish!"

The Kuno family heir blinked once, wondering what it was she was mumbling, his mind going through some naughty thoughts of what she might be asking till the smell of the fish, still on the table caught his attention.

"Ah, of course, I must have the energy for the two of you," he stated wisely, picking up chopsticks and digging in quickly, "A delicious meal with... urk...mhaa?"

"Moh mhank mhe Kami." Ranma grumbled.

"Mhy man gomma keel Komachi."

* * *

Stretching out the last of the stiffness in his muscles, Ranma walked slowly towards the side room where their shoes were kept, content that Akane would be along shortly after finally getting ready for the slopes since they had already lost part of the day to the Black Rose's poison. His eyes widened as he saw Akane's boots were already missing from the rack, meaning he was the one running behind, and he rushed to put his on, along with his red waterproof jacket.

Opening the door, he just managed to do his zip up and close the flap over it when his vision flashed white and cold. Dropping low, he dodged the second snowball, but even as his hand grabbed up snow to return shots, Akane's amused voice sang out from the doorway of the bus. "Hurry up slowpoke, daylights wasting."

With a grumble, he dropped his handful of cold snow, trotting quickly towards the pink and cream mini-bus. As Ranma stepped into the vehicle, the driver, the same as yesterday, briefly asked if anyone else was behind him coming out, and when he said no, closed the door as Ranma sat across the aisle from Akane.

"Don't you wear any other colors?" she asked in a teasing tone, eyeing the black pants and red jacket he wore, both purchased for use on the slopes.

"I look good in black and red," he defended, then looked her over, only to stumble on his retort, "At least I can spot you easily on the slopes."

Though she wore a similar set of black waterproof pants, they were tighter and had a false black skirt, trimmed in white going part way down her thighs. Her jacket was a bright pink, with a thick gray fur trim around the raised hood, and the smile she wore on her face told him she knew how cute he found it.

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "You sure you're bright enough? Mom was worried about getting snow-blindness but now I'm more worried about jacket-blindness."

His hands raised as if to fend off glare from the girl's attire, he missed her poking out her tongue, keeping his defensive position as her hand stretched out towards him.

"It's a present dummy," Akane said exasperatedly, holding out the glasses case.

Tentatively, he took the case, but didn't open it as he watched Akane open an identical case and put on a pair of attractive sunglasses. "For what?"

Rolling her eyes, Akane shrugged, "If it has to be for something, for helping train me for the tournament. That good enough?"

Red faced, he nodded, and awkwardly began to open the case, "Thanks. I just, I mean with the crazies who attack me, I never have managed to keep a pair of sunglasses for long."

"Then I won't tell you what they cost, not that Nabiki paid full price to get them, but try to take care of them and they'll protect you from jacket blindness. At least if you cover those blue eyes I won't have to wonder why you don't wear blue shirts more."

Frowning at what Akane meant, he slipped them on, lounging back against the glass as the bus moved down the mountain. "If I get another girl chasing me because I look too cool, I'm blaming you."

Akane giggled cutely, "I'll fight her off for you with my blinding jacket."

"Deal," he returned with a smirk, before the awkward silence made them look out the window. The pair watched the sunshine off the white slopes, already dotted with skiers for a moment, as the bus continued down to the Shiga Kogen ski runs they had passes to from the resort.

Ranma's eyes started to drift behind the dark lenses from the view to Akane, glad he couldn't be caught, if she turned around, then he froze as she turned towards him. "I thought I heard Sakura knocking on your door before? I thought she'd try to follow us down on this bus run?"

Relaxing, he nodded, "You did, but she suggested that I let you go on the bus, and join her in the hot spring since it will be empty."

"Kami, and I thought the girls on the porno were sluts," she snapped, looking back out the window, her face flushed, missing his similar blush, as both recalled moments of the movie but with different faces on the participants.

"Well she shouldn't find us for a while at least while we ski, though Kodachi and blonde boy are out there somewhere."

Akane grinned slightly, then looked at Ranma unsure, "Were you that excited to do actual skiing? I kind of thought we might try something different. Something that would also mean we would be able to have fun away from Sakura for a while."

"Huh?"

* * *

"Put your feet in the bindings into the board, then lock them around your toe and ankle."

Nodding at Akane's instructions, pretty much repeated from the rental guys who had set himself as regular with a wider stance, Ranma sat on a log in the snow, working on the long, vaguely hourglass shaped board, to lock in the bindings around the thick boots he wore. "How many times have you done this, Akane?"

She grinned and shrugged, "Never. But I'm pretty good on a skateboard, and it's supposed to be more fun than skiing. After we won the tournament I read up on it, and asked Nabiki to have them change our rental to these."

Done with her own bindings, Akane sprang up to standing on the board, quickly finding her balance, then shifted her weight to slide down a gentle slope to a tree by the siding from the equipment rental store, watching while Ranma finished up.

Finally Ranma pulled his hands back and pushed up from the log to stand up, immediately falling straight on his face.

"Well that was pathetic."

"You didn't say they greased the bottoms of these dumb things," Ranma complained, pushing up with one arm while wiping a gloved hand over his white dusted glasses.

Pouting cutely from her fur hood, Akane shook her head bewildered. "You can walk on fences, balance on people's heads, how on earth can you not get this?"

Sticking out his tongue, Ranma pushed off hard to get to standing in one move, his legs shooting forward with the board, snow puffing up as he landed on the ground, butt first.

"Geez, Ranma," Akane bemoaned, sliding slowly back and forth idly. "It's like... it's the reverse of your training for Sakura's tournament ring. Instead of reacting to what the board is telling your feet, your feet tell the board what to do. Control it, don't react to it."

Frowning but nodding, Ranma pushed himself up again, this time tentatively almost up, squatting low at the knees, stock still on the board, his arms the final movement to rise up till they extended out over the front and back of the board like he was on a tightrope.

He was standing for all of three seconds before he began to smirk, but when the snowball hit him, he went straight onto his back again.

"You planning to stand wide open like a statue all day?"

Growling, Ranma glared at the smirking girl, who was juggling three snowballs while standing on her board, eyes hidden behind those dark sunglasses. He knew he would be a target the second he got up, but that just made him grimace knowing he wouldn't look good returning fire while still on his behind. Still, you had to give as good as you take.

With a knuckled push off, he shot back up, going too high, firing his handfuls of snow just before coming to land and having to focus on balance. Only for the momentum of the thrown snowballs, he tilted to far, the board going forward first, then pulled back too far, and Ranma went down face first once more.

Akane ducked back from one super fast snowball, the other she punched from the air, the impact pushing her back, making her stop her juggling, nearly tipping her over. She smirked as she regained her casual stance before Ranma's face managed to look back up and see he unbalanced her.

"Whenever you're ready Ranma. Once you're on the board, lead with your front foot, and lean into it, and swing your hips to turn."

Frustrated at her teaching attitude, being aloof and moving ahead of the step the student hadn't yet mastered, a favorite of his fathers, and one he had smugly used himself on occasion, Ranma pushed himself up enough to watch. Akane leaned down the path, letting herself build momentum before rotating her hips, pulling the back foot around, tilting her feet as she braked to stop facing Ranma again.

The smirk on Akane's face let Ranma know the dark haired young woman had seen the snowball he still held behind his back as he again stood on the board. Focusing on his balance, he leant gently forward, snapping his feet back as the board moved, nearly overbalancing.

Shaking her head at his swaying antics, Akane twisted and leaned into the downhill, gaining enough momentum to swing back up to Ranma, sliding up in front of him. Dropping her own snowball, she held her gloved hands out to the dark haired young man. "Give me your hands and focus on staying upright."

Frowning, Ranma put his hands over hers, resisting as she made for more control of the grip, but soon found himself more steady on the board with her to lean on. Then she yanked him forward.

With a yelp from Ranma, the pair flowed down the path, Akane wishing one of them had been a left footed, or what boarders called a goofy, setting on the board so they matched each other better as she held her balance and his while going backwards. After a few moments a near overbalance became a turn, forcing Ranma to go backwards, his poor coordination driving the nose down enough to start digging snow before she used her board to rise on his and drive it more level, idly hoping she didn't damage the boards in the action.

His face showed his focus on his control, as he quickly mimicked her, learning more from his clumsy action backwards.

For a brief moment, Akane had the image of them dancing some slow waltz as she spun them around again, her hands on his as he grew in confidence.

"Okay, I think I got it," he said cockily, pulling at her hands before she finally released him. Turning herself around him to observe and verbally assist him if needed, he swung around to follow her, and for a second she was sure he was going into the snow again, but he held upright.

"Not bad for a beginner," Akane encouraged.

"At least I don't look like some clumsy kid anymore," he quipped, before turning down through a dip in the snow and up the other side, arms thrusting out for balance, before becoming a confident pose as he regained control again.

At this point a little boy and girl, about the same age as Aiko from the train, shot past them on junior boards, weaving between them and down around the bend in a flash.

"Aw, come on."

* * *

Akane grinned as ahead of her Ranma wobbled back and forth on the worn trail, a rope pull dragging them up to the top from where they could pick and choose runs back down. This was probably better for his balance practice than their dance like leading of earlier. Though part of her felt that had been more fun.

As the strap tied to the rope dragged her up the mountain, her eyes drifted lower, frowning at the baggy snow pants Ranma wore, flushing at the memory of what they hid. An idle thought that his behind was tighter than Taro's passed, simultaneously amusing her and annoying her for thinking of that lying jerk.

Grinning at the admittedly minor achievement of reaching the top of the pull climb on the first try, Ranma glanced back to the frowning girl, "You okay?"

With a bright smile, she nodded, her annoyance forgotten as she refocused on the young man with her.

"So what now?"

"Now, we go down."

Akane blushed briefly to drag her mind out of the gutter, covering it with a glance to her bindings, but Ranma's voice cut in.

"That it? We just go up and down all day?"

"Is martial arts just punching all day idiot? Try and keep up and I'll show you how it's done," she said cockily, straightening up as she turned to build momentum and headed for the nearest ski board run.

With trepidation, Ranma tailed her, at first trying to keep up, nearly losing at her first turn. She led him onto a fairly wide run, this one populated with other boarders, and steeper than the trails he had been learning on, but nothing he didn't think he could handle.

His confidence dropped when Akane swung left ahead of him, rising up on a mound of packed snow and riding the side before dropping back down on the snow with eye catching grace.

Smirking back at her companion with a flash of white teeth, Akane turned into a low jump, letting her momentum lift her before posing with her tongue out for Ranma and coming down to land smoothly on the other side.

Veering into the down gradient to gain momentum, Akane moved towards a raised mound leading onto a rail, hitting it perfectly, but rolling her eyes as she saw her audience had fallen by the wayside.

Lifting up from the snow he had fallen into, too intent on watching Akane than paying attention to his footwork, Ranma frowned as he saw several other boarders approaching his pink coat wearing instructor.

Said girl was already looking towards the lead young man approaching of the small group of others her own age.

"Nice moves babe," he said behind his snow dusted goggles with a rakish white-toothed grin. "This your first time on Yukio's run?"

"Yukio's run?" Akane asked at the guy's odd inflection.

"I helped design it. When they wanted to make the best run on the mountain for boarders, they came to the best to lay it down. Yukio Toutaka, and you are?"

"It's a nice enough run, for beginners." Akane returned, ignoring his asking of her name, the tips of her lips going up as a couple of Yukio's friends gave an 'Ooh' at her burn.

"You know this guy, Akane?" Ranma asked quickly, catching up. For a moment Akane was tempted to snap at him for trying to but into a situation she was handling but the sight of his wobbling approach made her hold back from pity.

"Akane huh? You like losers like this?" Yukio shot in, grabbing on her name, and the new target, "This your boyfriend? I've seen old men with balance than this."

Ranma flushed as several of Yukio's companions became a laugh track to his insult, but Akane beat him to speak next. "Please, he has been on that board for less than half an hour, while you seem to need to hang around a course you know as the only way to appear competent."

She let him bristle and waited for his mouth to open before cutting him off to continue, "Give him a couple days practice and I know he could outperform you on this run." Even as she said it, Akane felt the mistake. Ranma would never just shut up and go with that.

"Couple days? Hell I could keep up with him right now."

All of Yukio's companions burst out laughing at this, but Yukio laughed more at the glare Akane gave Ranma.

"Then let me show you how it's done," he stated, turning even as he put his goggles in place, taking off into the downhill.

Without thought, Ranma took off after him, acting his way rather than using actual skill, recklessly leaning forwards to try to keep up.

With a throw of his hips, Yukio twisted back, waving Ranma after him as he slid backwards up a mound, twisting forwards again to take off down the other side.

Behind him, Ranma managed to miss the entire mound, cutting around the side and into a divot left by the tractor which arranged the mound that morning, his hand dipping to flick up snow as he whipped forward, gaining more speed after the other young man.

Shaking his head, Yukio led the way onto a bench set into the snow, the board sliding across the length, twisting once to again wave his blue eyed opponent on before leaping off the end, legs raising the board as his hand gripped the side, releasing before hitting the ground again.

Following on, Ranma hit the bench, totally unprepared for the friction change, his upper body lunging forward, but his fast hands took control, doing a handstand cartwheel, the board coming back down again just after the end of the bench, his speed letting him gain a little on the pro ahead as he wobbled in pursuit.

Going low for speed, Yukio hit the U-shape of the main jump of the run, launching himself high in the air. His hand came forward even as his legs tilted up, letting him grab the nose of his board like he was surfing on air. Finally he dropped down, his hands out to the sides, dragging in the snow briefly as he stayed upright. A cheer from his friends trailing with Akane got him to wave back as he arrested his momentum against the run's turn siding raising up before twisting down to look back at his challenger.

Ranma cursed as he caught the tail of Yukio's jump, some kicked up snow on his sunglasses blinding him to how Yukio jumped, but he came in fast regardless, knowing he could go higher.

Months before he had defeated a martial artist from China, a warrior from a tribe of only men who used to use the springs of Jusenkyo to make women out of animals they defeated with the art to breed in their strength to their children. Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty had claimed to be the descendant of dragons, and used a powerful series of ki blasts to fly over an opponent and attack. Ranma called invisible power from his core to his hands, and tried to emulate his foreign adversary from back then.

Akane frowned as Ranma lashed out with his hands as he leapt in the air, the jump below him exploding as he shot up, overshooting the turn of the run and vanishing into the trees.

Ignoring the shocked gasps and one bellowed laughed from her place in the audience, Akane took off down the run, her momentum taking her into the woods faster than Yukio could get over the siding in pursuit, but too quickly both found Ranma casually dusting himself off.

"You phenomenal idiot," Akane shouted, resisting the urge to hit him or hug him as he rubbed the back of his head, grinning stupidly.

"Maybe I need a little more practice."

"Dump the zero and come fly with the hero baby."

Both heirs to the Anything Goes Martial Arts School glared at the interrupting young man.

With a dark smirk, Akane gestured back at the run. "The way I remember it, he out flew you. Maybe you're too scared to fly as high as he does? He might have blown the landing, but he showed why heroes are known for their courage, not their skills."

Hearing his approaching friends, Yukio waved her off, "Hey, when this fool kills himself, you'll be begging for a guy with skills."

The pair watched him take off through the trees back to the run, Ranma was going to shout something but Akane's hand hit him in the chest, and would have knocked him down had he been on his board.

"Ignore him Ranma, you may be hopeless at school and this, but you have more skills than just martial arts, and he doesn't even have that."

With a shrug, Ranma hid his red face by moving to get his board and lock back into the bindings.

"But next time Ranma, check if I need your help first. That was sweet of you, but I can handle losers hitting on me. I don't need you to be my hero. At least not if you're going to blow it," she teased, giving him a raspberry as she set off again leaving him to quickly strap his bindings on to follow.

* * *

Though they had passed it three times already on previous runs down the mountain, the two snowboarders cut across the main skiers easy run to reach a picnic area and kiosk. The idea of a hot sweet potato or the like was making Ranma's mouth water but Akane shook her head. "Look at the prices dummy," Akane said exasperatedly. "Remember Auntie's warning?"

Hunger fuelled a frown on his face till he looked again at the price, for a moment thinking they had added a zero to the end by accident. With an incredulous look at Akane, he winced, "Isn't that ripping people off?"

"It's called a monopoly Ranma, don't you listen in economics class. They are the only ones selling on the mountain here so they don't have to compete for business," Akane stated with a pang of missing her sisters. Shrugging it off to get back into the moment of the holiday, she glanced over at the chair lifts carrying people over this stop and towards the top slopes. "We have some bentos down in the rental shop locker, and some vouchers from the resort for a lunch later. Here."

With a casual snap she tossed him a bottle of water, which he snagged with equal aplomb. "You know it's lunch time now."

"Which probably means Sakura and Kuno are waiting for us," she returned with a glare. "If we wait, we can get some more boarding in, have a late lunch, and hope they are looking for us on the slopes by then. Let's just have a quick break now and get back into it."

Finding the effect of her glare less impressive from behind her dark sunglasses, Ranma shrugged, tearing his eyes off her pouty lips, only to catch on something else. "What do you want to do about them?"

Turning in the direction of his nod, Akane pouted out of her faux fur lined hood, spotting the black clad Kodachi Kuno, relishing in the attention she was getting from some of the boys at the tight, insulated suit she wore. Nearby, Mikado was posing like a peacock at the attention his fiancИe got from the males, and the eyes of the girls on himself.

"I'll get him."

At Ranma's whisper Akane recalled the liberty the blonde man had taken with her earlier, and almost stopped him to get Mikado herself. "I'll start on Kodachi, then I'll get to Mikado later."

Mikado grinned as his future wife bullied her way to the front of the queue through the plebs, his eyes drifting to the legs and derriХre of a short girl moving up behind her. Suddenly recognizing Akane, he shouted warning, "Kodachi, behind you!"

Kodachi's head snapped up, her eye looking to her shouting fiancИ, frowning as she saw Ranma behind him. The dark haired boy, his beautiful blue eyes covered by some cheap sunglasses, gave her a wave, then put a finger to his mouth for quiet, before squatting down behind Mikado, and pantsing him.

Before the entire crowd at the break spot, eyes drawn by Mikado's previous cry, the blonde young man's tan snow pants were yanked down below his knees, exposing a leopard print thong that left little to the imagination, even in the cold.

Mikado's eyes went wide, before Ranma pushed him hard, upending him into a snowdrift, skis sticking up, still attached to his boots, bare cheeks pink in the cold air.

A protective surge snapped Kodachi into action at the assault on what was hers, only to feel a large amount of snow and ice, pour down her back, inside her suit.

With a glare for the laughing Akane behind her, who skipped back out of reach, Kodachi rushed around to the toilets at the side of the kiosk, cursing as she realized she had gone to the male side. Already she could feel the ice melting into the unprotected lining of the back of her suit, bypassing the protective layer that was guaranteed to keep her dry. With a second unladylike curse, she rushed around the back of the building, tearing open and down her top to let the snow back out.

"Hey baby, shake that body!"

"Stay right there and we'll come help you, baby!"

Kodachi spun towards the perverted calls, her hands covering her lacy bra, having to look up at the chairlift overhead, two teenage boys leering down at her. She briefly considered using her ribbon to pull them off the lift, but instead backed closer to the kiosk to get out of their sight.

Clearing the last of the snow from her suit and pulling it back up, she rushed around to find Mikado, red faced, was pulling snow from his pants, before being able to pull them back up.

"Where are they?" Kodachi demanded as her fiancИ winced at the chilled material.

"They took off on snowboards. We can catch them."

Briefly considering pursuit, Kodachi grinned. "Why chase the prey when you know where it sleeps."

* * *

Watching Akane's actions as the rope system pulled them back toward the top of the runs, Ranma felt far more confident on the snowboard than when the day had begun. His eyes drifted to the shape of her legs, before he shook it off at the faint call of his name.

Akane turned back briefly, looking up at the nearby chair lift and the shouting figures upon it.

"Sakura and Kuno?"

"Yep, and their chairlift is faster than this."

"Hopefully we can lose 'em in the crowd up top and make it to one of the snowboard runs."

Unfortunately as they crested the hilltop, Sakura and Kuno, the latter using two wooden boken for stocks, were already off the chairlift and skiing towards them.

"Break right," Ranma hissed, ducking the pair off to one side. Akane followed, frowning as the 'snowboard only' run started over on the left side of mountain from where they were. Her dismay turned to panic as Ranma led them past the sign for the Bobsled track ahead.

"Are you crazy, we can't go down the bobsled run!"

Ranma gave her a wink, and reached out to grab her arm, almost causing a crash. Akane kept him upright, only to regret it as he pulled her right suddenly. For a moment she thought they were going to hide in the bushes, only to pass a sign designating a ski run going down beside the bobsled track. Her eyes flared wide at the two black diamonds were marked on it.

"Ranma wait, this is only for..."

About then he dropped like a stone out of sight, releasing her hand as she followed him over the drop into the expert ski run.

Focusing on her balance, Akane landed and twisted, keeping control as she jagged down the hill. Ranma on the other hand had landed face first, flipping over and over, gathering snow as he went.

Suppressing a curse for idiots, she leant forward, picking up speed to catch the rolling ball her student had become, recklessly skipping down the slope.

Pulling alongside the yelling pile of out of control snowboarder, she reached out to grab a stray hand sticking out, tilting her feet to cut her board into the snow and slow down.

Feeling Akane's hand, Ranma pushed off, abandoning his board to try and burst free, leaping from the out of control snowball only to overbalance Akane.

With a thump the pair crashed out.

For a long moment, Ranma just held Akane, both breathing heavily, washing over each other's lips, glasses hiding their emotions. Finally, Akane pushed up, blushing badly from lying on his body, sweating despite the cold. "Well that was stupid, it might have been safer to snowboard down the bobsled run."

"I didn't see you come up with a better plan," he snapped back, still breathing heavy. "Or would you rather spend the rest of the day with Sakura and Kuno?"

"What plan? Those two idiots will hear us and..." stopping suddenly, Akane shifted from shouting to a whisper, "Those two idiots will hear us and follow us down here any second, you jerk. Or did you just expect them to throw themselves down the bobsled track thinking we had gone that way?"

"Akane, I pursue..." was heard whipping by, accompanied by the sounds of skids on ice and Sakura's screams, as they shot past on the nearby bobsled track.

Akane punched the smirking young man in the arm.

* * *

"You think he has feelings for my daughter?"

"Oh, I'm sure of it Soun," Nodoka said with a nod, glancing at her grinning husband as he inhaled more food from the Tendo table. "Allowed to meet without the pressure of a forced engagement hanging over their heads has given them the opportunity to trust each other and let each other in. It is regrettable the deceit was needed, but the damage you and my husband caused in your original proclamation to Akane has been mitigated."

Soun sensed Genma's mouth opening, and worse could see Nodoka's eyes, just waiting for her husband to try and escape blame or give an excuse, and ready to chew him for it. With a deft move, he flicked a fish cake up from his plate, to arc in front of his heavy friend. Like a trained seal, Genma Saotome automatically bit it out of the air.

"You've done a wonderful job Nodoka, but does this mean we can prepare for a wedding before Christmas?"

"No," Nodoka snapped, not happy with either the question or her husband acting like an animal. "In no way can we force them together before they agree to anything, or else everything to date will fall apart. As it stands, the honor of the other girls must be considered in this as well or this fiasco will truly shame us all. We will have to let them have a say in all this at the engagement meeting in January."

"But surely you won't allow him to chose one of those others?" Soun asked nervously, only to be slapped on the back by his old training partner.

"Of course not Tendo, it's a sure thing. The boy loves your girl."

Nodoka glared at her husband, "It is not a sure thing. It is my wish, and as long as Ranma isn't forced I believe she will be his choice, but if we go into this expecting to just order the other girls away with nothing, then things will escalate out of our control. Again. They will be heard."

Controlling herself, she kept her husband silent with a glare, "At that time, we can start to discuss wedding choices."

"We could have a priest ready that afternoon?" Genma suggested.

Soun froze, half agreeing, but half terrified of the black cloud of Nodoka's deteriorating mood at her husband. He quickly filled his mouth with more of the lunch Nodoka had prepared for the two of them.

"It is my hope," she said quietly, "that they will agree to a March wedding on school break. That of course will never happen if either of you two suggests it to them. As it is, it is time for them to learn of the engagement. In a couple of weeks, we shall have a wedding meeting, here, and we... I shall explain all this to them. From then until January, Ranma will stay here and attend school with Akane, to get used to her as a fiancИe away from the others. If either of you suggests anything about priests, weddings, or the like, I will..."

An urgent knocking at the door interrupted her threat, Nodoka turned to see a woman entering the room. Close to her own age, the attractive newcomer had long brown hair tied up in an intricate formal bun, held together with ornate hairpins. Her makeup sedated but present, she wore a beautiful, expensive kimono, her sash tied in a very traditional manner, but that of a single woman, not a married one.

The woman held a large bento box, wrapped in its furoshiki, and a traditional tea service with large back pot in the other. "Soun-chan, I'm so sorry I'm late."

"Miyakoji-san!" Soun stated with nervous surprise.

"When I heard Kasumi-chan had a lunch date with that lovely young doctor, I insisted to her I should come and prepare your lunch." Her eyes swept past the fat friend of Soun's, who was greedily eyeing the prepared meal she had brought, across the already devoured lunch on the table, to the unknown woman.

Nodoka had seen such eyes before too often, though normally from much younger women interested in her son.

"Ah, Nodoka-san, please let me introduce Mrs Shika Miyakoji. Miyakoji-san, this is Genma's wife, Nodoka Saotome."

Like a switch, Nodoka saw the change in the woman's face as she realized she wasn't competition for the mustachioed widower over the table from her. With a friendly smile, the woman sat beside Soun, quickly outlaying a tea ceremony set with graceful motions. "Nodoka-san, Soun speaks very highly of you, and how you've been helping get his youngest engaged to your son?"

"Yes," Nodoka returned politely, "Akane has always been a very sweet girl, and is already a good influence with my son."

"Oh yes I know what you mean. She helped my daughter Satsuki when she married Sentaro, of the Daimonji family." The older woman's eyes flicked with disappointment that the name of the prestigious elder Martial arts tea ceremony family didn't spark recognition. "And if it wasn't for her I would never have met Soun-chan."

With deft motions, she served an aromatic tea, adding the food she had brought to the table and preparing a portion for Soun. As she worked, Nodoka leaned towards her husband. "Soun never mentioned this," she whispered.

"It wasn't an issue till you got his daughters talking marriage. Just pray the crazy school teacher doesn't show up."

* * *

The end is in sight. Just have to make it to March in the story...

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me - Jamison, Hpackrat, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, MZephyr, Angela Jewel, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Please please please review all that you read.

Reviews nourish writer enthusiasm and make us think about what we are doing and learn from mistakes and grow and be better. If you got nothing constructive to say, keep it to yourself but if you liked something let us know.

Lets see if I can shamelessly buy your reviews to get more of you into the habit of reviewing, with the Anything Goes Review Challenge: Paragraph for paragraph!

Some of my favorite web comic authors sell prints and wallpapers for donations to their sites. Now I am a slow writer, mainly because I get distracted, by work, by other stories, by reading and such, but I will lay down the gauntlet. For each solid review I get, with something constructive (more than just 'I love it') or inspiring for me (ideas for subplots, characters, or fanservice?), I will write one solid paragraph (minimum two sentences & twenty words) within seven days of getting it. If it is a signed review or with an email addy, I will send it too you, giving a glimpse of an upcoming scene.

Now this chapter had 71 paragraphs that fit my requirement above, and chapter 11 is half written, as is chapter 12, so I only need a few more than my regular reviewers to motivate me and we could be seeing up to chapter 14 this year. Rather than over then next three years.

Will you please please help me by pushing me on this challenge?

* * *

As Mzephyr requested in a review, I added the translation I did from Japanese to Paralysed mufflese. This is far from an exact science, I am phonetically disabled. My original dialogue was lost to bad file keeping, and I can't even retranslate one line. But enjoy.

"Mow."

_Wow_

"Mot dah mel dah ma meah Mow? Pehbeht!"

_What the hell do ya mean wow? Pervert!_

"Muh? Mhow sis miss ma malt? Bid mou mow mou coumd mo mit lie matt?"  
_Huh? How is this my fault? Did you know you could do it like that?_

"Mhot?"  
_What?_

"Mhot?"  
_What?_

"Mih mussed muprid? Mid moo moh..."

__ (Embarrassingly enough, I have no idea what he was saying here. I _

_think it was about flexibility…)_

"Mhut mup!"  
_Shut up!_

"Mif my cam met mo mhe remome, my cam murn mit moff."

_If I can get to the remote, I can turn it off._

"Mhot?"  
_What?_

"Mow."  
_Ow_

"Mam mhats moumd."  
_Man that's loud._

"Mits moming moo make Sekoora, man sme mill keel me!"

_Its going to wake Sakura, and she will kill me!_

"Mell Nho!"  
_Hell no_

"Muno!"  
_Kuno_

"Mry mhe mish! Mhe mish! Mry mhe mish!"  
_Try the fish! The fish! Try the fish!_

"Moh mhank mhe Kami."  
_Oh thank the kami_

"Mhy man gomma keel Komachi."

_I'm gonna kill Kodachi._

Special thanks to FF for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.


	11. Chapter 11

Meeting Later Chapter 11

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 14 Nov 08

This two-part arc is rated "Hotspring", for adult situations and exploitative nudity. Seriously, you will find out things about Mikado and Kodachi you didn't want to know.

* * *

Gori, the old head chef of the Koibito no Tansai Ski Lodge, shook his head. "I'm very sorry about that. The black haired girl said she wanted to make breakfast for her fiancée. I just turned my back on your breakfast for a second."

Ranma nodded, not angry. "Hey, it sounds like she can be very clever in her tricks and such. In a way it's good training to keep us on our toes." He didn't want to be rude to the kindly old man, but Ranma wanted to get back to Akane before anything happened. The bus back with the other guests had been very tense all round, he had had to calm Akane and Kodachi twice on the ride before it came to blows, and if they were left alone now back…

Shaking his head again at the hurried young man before him, Gori grinned, relieved that it wasn't a true complaint. "Well you're a lively bunch for a group so small."

"Yeah, things can really get out of control with Sakura and that Kuno guy," Ranma said as he grabbed a few extra pork buns into the snack tray he was preparing.

Gori's hand came up, a finger to the lips motioning him to be quiet, both hearing Sakura calling to the old woman in the hall outside.

Moving to the kitchen door, Ranma listened closely, wondering what she was up to.

"I'm so sorry that my guests and I have been causing such trouble," she gushed, trying to bond with the older manager. "In truth, though they are my friends, I will completely support you in kicking them out if they get any more rowdy, if you take my meaning?"

The old woman's low harsh voice spoke quietly but clearly, "Your patronage is appreciated, Ms Shishimi. If they disrupt your enjoyment, they can be dealt with."

"That's all I wanted to hear," Sakura replied happily, before a new voice came down the hall.

The young receptionist was rushing towards them. "Grandmother, we have a problem in reception."

Ranma could imagine the glee on Sakura's face as he tossed his snack tray on the stove with an 'I'll be back' to Gori as he dove out the back and rushed to the entrance and reception hoping to beat the women there.

Barging in, his stomach dropped as he saw Akane and Kodachi tussling on the ground in a hair pulling catfight. Mikado was nearby, getting up, touching his eye which had apparently been hit and was already red.

Darting forward, the dark haired boy grabbed a one-use camera from a convenient rack near the reception bench, tearing open the bag it came in with its film, tossing it to the blonde Mikado as he grabbed up the fighting girls. One hand snaked around Kodachi's flank to pull her against him, his other hand sliding on Akane as she resisted, but he still managed to pull her against him. "Say cheese before we get kicked out!" he demanded sweetly.

The two girls reacted like Japanese schoolgirls, automatically stopping their struggles to pose and smile, Kodachi even putting forward her hand with fingers up like a 'V', as Mikado raised the camera to his good eye and taking the a photo.

Blinking from the flash and red-faced, Akane just managed to grab Ranma's hand from her behind and bring it to her hip as three women entered the room.

"Hey Sakura, come have a photo?"

Frowning at the disheveled girls posing with her fiancé, Sakura was never one to pass a camera lens.

Akane and Kodachi stepped back with forced smiles as Sakura all but jumped on the dark haired young man to pose for the camera held by Mikado.

"Truce?" Akane asked through clenched teeth, "at least till the last day?"

"Agreed," Kodachi hissed back behind her smile.

* * *

Ranma frowned at his companions in the men's change room, keeping away from, the cold water the other guys were washing off with.

"Ah, a hard day of exercise followed by a full meal with my beloved and now a therapeutic hot bath. Life would only be finer with better company than the two of you," Kuno proclaimed as he wrapped a towel around his waist and made for the curtained doorway to the hotspring.

"I myself would rather be in with the girls next door than with you, brother," Mikado returned with a grin, putting his towel over his shoulder as he strode after the eldest of them.

Washing off with hot water, Ranma wrapped the towel around his waist and strode out after the pair, taking in the hot spring.

After a short wood deck, a natural steaming pool stretched out before them. Ending part way out over the water, a weather shelter then opened to the air, the views of the mountain visible over low bamboo fencing around the outside. The left hand wall was twice as high, both young men ahead of him looking at it as they entered the water, blocking his vision to the women's side of the spring.

Unfortunately that wall didn't go the length of the spring at the deeper far end, where Kuno was already moving towards, sloshing through the hot water.

Stepping into the naturally heated water, Ranma was unable to relax into it. "Oi, Kuno, where are you going, pervert?"

Red faced, the taller, older boy turned on him. "Paint your betters not with the tainted intentions in your mind, I merely move to guard the way from you and my Sister's deviant partner from spying upon the beautiful form of Ms Shishimi, or the divine form of my beloved, as they frolic, undressed, in the hot water, splashing each other playfully, bouncing and giggling girlishly, light chaste kisses hiding the passions confusing their innocent minds…"

"Focus brother," Mikado grinned, "and wipe your chin of drool."

"Any reason you're moving to 'guard' with him? Maybe you should guard each other together over there away from temptation," Ranma suggested.

"Hey, I'm not some immature peeping tom hiding behind some excuse like a child, I am walking around to their side to be with my fiancée."

"I wouldn't go claiming to be a man before you hit puberty," Ranma stated, waving vaguely to Mikado's body, annoyed at the gall of the blonde guy.

Mikado looked down, before turning red, in anger and embarrassment. "I shave you idiot!"

"Hohohohoho, Why don't you boys come join us before you go comparing hair styles?"

Mikado grinned at hearing his equally crass fiancée, and turned again to make for the passage to the women's side, Kuno torn for a moment at his sister making the offer. He finally turned to go as well, a boulder crashed into the water in front of them, splashing them both back away from the passage to the other side.

"NO! If I see any of you perverts come around that corner, I will drown you!" Akane called out.

Chuckling, Ranma called out, "And I'll help her."

* * *

"It is good to know your brutish strength is good for something, Akane-chan," Sakura said, red faced and tightly holding her towel to her body as she entered the water.

Ignoring her, an equally red faced Akane held her own towel in front of her, eyeing the opening at the far end of the pool. Satisfied the perverts knew their place, she glared down at Kodachi lounging in the water with her towel around her hair. "How could you tell that to them?"

Amused at the prudish attitude of the girls, Kodachi closed her eyes and relaxed, speaking her mind. "It is not as if Mikado-chan has not taken in my beauty far more than a distorted view through these waters. As for my Brother, I certainly hope he does not think of me in any such way. And it is only fair that poor Ranma's fantasies of me are accurate, no?"

"He is my fiancée, Kodachi," Sakura stated equally angry as Akane. "He is the only man to see my treasures, and yearns for no others over them."

"Oh and how did such a thing happen, Sakura-chan?" Kodachi purred back, looking for gossip on how far her former rival and her obviously reluctant man had gone. Akane held her tongue, suddenly interested as well.

"Well if you must know, I had been attacked by a stalker and was in the hospital, when some filthy slug photographer tried to get some candid shots of me for some lowly tabloid. My destined hero, Ranma appeared and saved me," she stated with a sigh, her hands brushing over the skin of her shoulders. "As was right he stayed with me while I recovered, and, well not to kiss and tell, but some things happened during a sponge bath."

Pursing her lips at the memory of kisses, she shivered with a delighted sigh in the hot water. "He was the only man to ever see my naked form, and the only one I want ever to do so."

Almost trembling with rage, Akane's eyes tried to make the blonde bimbo burst into flames. Fortunately for her Kodachi was equally focused on her former rival, "Surely you forget those shots of you in those men's magazines? You've been seen by more men than a Vikky's himitsu model."

Snapped back into the moment, Sakura glared back at the dark haired girl who had made the Victoria secret model comparison. "Those photos were fake. I have never ever posed such. My family's lawyers are still suing those responsible and will be interested in any slander you perpetuate. No man has seen me, other than my future husband."

Red faced but amused by Kodachi's accusation, Akane shook it off, her head tilting to look at Sakura, "But I thought that bandana wearing boy, who wore black at the tournament, saw you in the bath too?"

"Ryoga Hibiki never saw me naked," Sakura denied outright, red faced. "He tried but failed to peek on me."

"And what of your doctor?" Kodachi asked, "Surely he has seen what he added to you?"

"Doctor Feikuyamas's involvement was only to cover up the scar from when I was attacked by a stalker. Again, my family's lawyers will not sit idly by against slander claiming otherwise."

The giggling of the disbelieving girls gave Sakura the chance to turn the focus off herself, her eyes looking to Akane.

"Perhaps with such a mannish form, you could talk to Dr Feikuyamas to become more feminine, Akane-chan," Sakura spat, stretching her form out sensually to make the point of who she thought was more feminine, before lowering herself back into the water.

Kodachi laughed, annoying the dark haired girl, before glancing at the blonde with her hair pinned up. "While less gifted than some, Akane-chan has been growing some my dear Sakura."

Akane glanced at Kodachi nervously, trying to think of a good line before Kodachi dropped the other shoe.

"While Akane is a late bloomer, you Sakura sprouted up over night as it were. Some might say with surgical speed."

Sakura turned white, face ugly with rage, "I will not warn you again about slander, Kodachi. I am one hundred percent natural."

Kodachi leaned up, getting her feet under herself, "Even your hair?"

Frowning at the change of focus, Sakura put a hand to her hair, "My hair? Of course, you may even ask my darling fiancée how natural my hair is."

Angry again at Ranma for knowing such, Akane almost missed Kodachi give her a look, as the dark haired girl moved to put Sakura between them. Sakura just picked up that she was between them when Kodachi lunged weakly for her arms, crying to Akane. "Let down her hair!"

Akane's brow furrowed, wondering what Kodachi expected to gain from such, but as Sakura ripped her hands back from Kodachi and turned, expecting to fend Akane off from her hair, Kodachi sprung her trap.

Shooting into Sakura's back, Kodachi gripped her wrists from behind, this time trying to hold her as she pulled the blonde girl up above the water, her towel falling away, "Akane, quickly look for implant scars!"

Despite the embarrassment of violating Sakura's personal space, Akane took the opportunity Kodachi opened. Darting close, her eyes scoured around the young woman's chest, looking for scarring.

She saw what might have been a thin white line scar, before Kodachi pushed Sakura forward, and Akane got the undesired sensation of touch as well as sight.

Tripping backwards into the hot water to get away, Akane could hear Sakura screeching, even under the surface of the water, enraged words at both her and Kodachi. As she came back up, Akane glared at the laughing Kodachi, who was pointing at her.

"I was just helping you get another girlfriend, Akane-chan."

* * *

Three young men sat still on the other side of the spring, listening to the girls, but none of them were willing to raise their hips above the water to get up and go to offer help…

* * *

Looking from the moonlit snow falling outside the window, Akane refocused on the male in the futon across from her. A tiny candle flickered light over the side of his face, as he lay on stomach, looking at the broom and mop, each leaning on the wall on either side of the door. He didn't look at her, and she didn't know what he was feeling, her own feelings rolling, recalling what she knew of him and what Sakura had claimed in the hot spring. It had taken nearly two hours of talking in the darkened resort room just to work up to asking him about it.

"So exactly what happened between you and Sakura? Something about a sponge bath?"

"That's a weird story really. She was the first girl to really take an interest in me, I was pretty clueless, and she was really manipulative, I barely understand how it happened even now."

Akane smirked at the idea of him no longer being clueless now, but she let him continue.

"I was at the hospital, ah, when Mom found out about the Neko-ken, she wanted me to see a therapist, useless as that was. So I was going pretty regularly to see some big shot doctor who wanted to study me," he began, embarrassed but surprising himself that he could admit that kind of stuff to Akane. "I got lost and I was walking through a ward, and I heard a scream. I went to help, and in a private room I see this guy trying to pull a blanket off this girl. I knocked him down, and he ran off."

Scratching his nose, the dark haired young man kept his gaze on the door, but not seeing anything in the present, "The cops showed up, asking questions, so did Mom, and Sakura and her lawyers asked us back to the room, where she was all weak in bed, saying thank you."

"It was embarrassing, but Mom was all proud of me, and then Sakura asked if I could stay and guard her till she was better, offering to pay me, so I did. A couple other guys with cameras showed up, and couple days later there is a story in a magazine about me being her boyfriend. Mom was happy, saying to treat her right and not be too rough till she recovered, even…" A sudden cough narrowed Akane's eyes, his face turning away, "Well anyway, I…"

"What did Aunty do?" Akane asked before he could change the subject.

Groaning, Ranma looked over to the girl, embarrassed. "Ah, well, Mom had a pretty big thing about me being a man among men, and with my curse... she had got me a box of condoms…"

Flushing red, Akane huffed, her eyes narrowed on her friend. "You and Sakura…"

"Ack, Kami no," he stated suddenly, rolling up on his side to look at her, "Nearly, but no."

"Nearly?"

Wincing at her cold tone, Ranma locked his eyes on her. "She tried to kiss me a few times, but, she kept going on about how weak she was, and I didn't know any better. Then she was going on about the nurses talking to the papers about her, and she didn't trust them, and could I, give her a sponge bath."

Nodding to encourage him, Akane frowned but was curious at his uncomfortableness with the subject.

"Well, I could hardly say no, and physically she isn't ugly. We started to kiss some, I guess it was going okay," he stated, before giving a sudden shiver, rolling onto his back to look up at the ceiling. "And that's when I jumped through the window."

Sitting up, Akane stared at him in disbelief. "You jumped out of the window? Why?"

His hands gestured as he searched for the right words, "It was a cat, and it snuck up on us."

At first Akane sniggered, then began to giggle, but before she reached laughing, he tried to defend it. "Hey, it was one of them hypnoanelgesic ones, those retarded hairless looking ones. The hospital has them for recovering patients. They're freaky and it snuck up on me!"

Laughing outright now, Akane rolled from side to side on her futon. Finally controlling herself, she looked to the now sulking boy. "Hypoallergenic cat, Ranma, and its only funny because that is what ruined Sakura's plans," she said over her laughs to placate him. "What did Sakura do?"

Mollified by her words, but still far from happy, he rolled back to lay face up again. "She wasn't happy. But it was the next day when I got splashed with water, and I must have said something wrong cause she thought I was my own girlfriend, and suddenly she jumped out of the bed and nearly kicked my ass. She had been faking being weak to play me. It got worse when during the fight, I kind of held her down on the bed, and one of those photographers got a picture. Next week there was a magazine claiming she liked girls, so she was even angrier. She showed up again wanting to find my girl side again to beat her up."

"And by then you were over her?"

"Not that it was hard to get over, especially once I knew how much of a psycho she is."

Nodding sympathetically, Akane smiled, watching him still.

Rolling onto his side, he looked at her. "What about you? You've said Mikado was after ya, and Kuno obviously, but surely all the guys at your school aren't that bad?"

"They are," Akane said, a little defensively, "Every one of them."

Getting a grin on his face, Ranma kept his eyes on hers. "There has to be someone you felt something for?"

Grimacing, Akane turned onto her back, looking up at the ceiling rather than face his blue eyes. "I, okay, I had a huge crush on Dr Tofu for a long time. I was so clueless, I even grew my hair out like Kasumi's trying to compete with her."

"What happened?"

His question, or rather the tone of it, drew a glance from her, but she looked back at the ceiling, seeing the past. "Well I got roped into fighting Kodachi in Rhythmic Gymnastics Martial Arts, and after I blew the first fight with the disqualification, Dr Tofu offered to help train me. I thought it meant something, and we trained together for a week after school, but as we trained, he would hesitantly ask questions about Kasumi. I knew he had feelings for her, but I thought it was my big chance."

Her hands came up to her blushing face, muffling her voice. "When I won the second match with Kodachi, and in the excitement of victory, I tried to steal a kiss. Right then he saw straight past me to Kasumi and I kissed his cheek."

Throwing her hands down at her sides, somewhat angrily, she still didn't look at Ranma. "After that I knew I'd never be a woman in his eyes."

"Shampoo would say you gave up too easy," Ranma teased.

Akane's eyes flashing to his, but he looked away, uncomfortably. She knew he meant it as teasing, and not to hurt her. Ranma Saotome never really needed an excuse to tease her, though that time she could sense it was to cover his feelings.

"There was another guy since then," she said quietly, eyes on his as he glanced at her then looked away. Despite the churn of old feelings for her first and only official boyfriend, she wanted to see him react. "He was a great martial artist, pretty cute, fearless, a little rough like you."

She smiled slightly as he squirmed and finally met her gaze, watching her. "I thought he liked me, we went out on a few dates, even kissed once."

His blanket shivered as he trembled a little, his hand raking through his hair, covering his face for a moment, and she lay on her back again, breaking eye contact completely. "Turned out he didn't even want what you wanted from Sakura in that hospital. He was a pervert, but he was just using me for something else. Grandfather showed me that."

"So what did you do to him?"

The far more relaxed state of his voice made her smile, insides fluttering. "I hit him where it hurt him most."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ranma's legs fold up defensively under the blanket. "Not that idiot. He was Chinese, and he had some stupid custom, kind of like Shampoo's idiotic tribal rules. I used his against him, he will suffer for a long time."

She rolled to look at Ranma again over that single candle flame. "You don't expect I would be satisfied with just a one off blow do you?"

He grinned at her, "Actually I kinda imagined you had 'em in a jar on your beside table."

"Gross," she stated flatly. "Even if I did, I wouldn't want any of him that close to my bed."

He frowned, but kept his eyes on her face. "Before you found out he was using you, would you have wanted him like that?"

Blushing, Akane resisted the urge to turn away, knowing she could trust him, but still having difficulty finding the words. "I don't really know, I mean, I kind of thought about it idly, he was pretty cute, and I thought he was into me, emotionally I mean."

"I mean if you like a guy, of course you want him thinking of you. And in some ways he was a gentleman, not staring at my chest like Kuno and others do, and not that greasy way Mikado looks at any girl with a heartbeat." Glancing down, she bit her lip, frowning before looking back up at Ranma, "I guess it did hurt that he didn't want me, but I guess he just didn't feel that way about me, like you and Sakura."

"He was an idiot then," Ranma stated quickly, with a trace of anger, "I mean if I felt for Sakura back then, half of what I get when I…"

Blushing badly, Ranma broke off, looking up at the ceiling.

"What Ranma?" Akane whispered urgently, knowing he was going to try and change the subject, and suddenly she knew when he was referring to. "The massages?"

He nodded, not seeing her shiver as her skin tingled with past memory of his hands.

"I mean, I keep it professional," he defended, still blushing badly, "but I just wish I felt like that for any of my fiancées."

Like a splash of cold water, Akane refocused, reminded of the simple fact of their respective impossible situations… a panicked part of her mind crying pervert at him, and worse at herself, as her hormones settled.

"I guess they're lucky I have more control than them," she said lightly, smirking as her body arched up sensually to roll onto her back, looking up at the ceiling once more. "After all if I had as little self control as them, you'd never be satisfied with another woman again."

Even as he searched for words to tease back about himself, his imagination distractingly rampant, a clatter drew both to look at the door, where the broomstick had fallen over.

"You were right," Ranma stated, not getting up, but rolling onto his stomach to look at the door. The two strings came up from under it, one stretching to the handle of the still standing mop, the other to the now fallen broom. A primitive alarm system, the strings were tied at the other ends to the respective doors of the rooms the pair were allocated by the management.

"Sakura was faster to me than Kuno to you."

* * *

Simultaneously, two doors opened into the darkened hallway, three figures blinking rather foolishly at each other in the middle of the night.

Kodachi looked at her brother in the opposing doorway, eyeing the candy filled heart and bunch of beautiful red roses he held in his hands. She frowned at the ugly blue silk robe he wore, boken hanging through its belt, her nose crinkling as his cologne suddenly hit her nostrils like a blow.

"Good evening brother, I take it you are off to visit your commoner tart?"

Tatewaki Kuno eyed his conniving sister and her ill chosen fancy. Both were dressed in black jumpsuits, her hair bound up while his blonde strands lay hidden under a winter cap, his hands filled with a length of rope, a camera, a nappy, and a bunch of Kodachi's prized, and no doubt poisoned, black roses.

"Indeed sister, and I will brook no interference from the likes of the two of you."

With an idle wave of her hand, Kodachi shook her head. "Our aims do not conflict, dear brother. We merely seek to remind Sakura's fiancé not to disturb his betters."

Perking up, Kuno nodded his head to the pair. "Then I wish you luck in your pursuits."

Kodachi rolled her eyes at her fiancé, letting Kuno step from his doorway and lead the way down the hall.

Knowing that the pair was walking behind him, the future of the Kuno family didn't let it interfere with his stride as he moved down the hall, imagining his entrance, and expected positive reception.

Reaching the end of the hall, he eyed the door number to Akane's domicile of the resort. He felt the eyes of his sister and Mikado at the previous door, to the vile cheater Saotome, but the pair appeared to be waiting for him to act first.

With a sharp breath, he pulled open her door and stepped within.

From the dim light in the hall, Kuno made out the bedding around the sleeping form of his love, imagining the dreams of him she was having, and slightly disappointed her unpredictable and mysterious red haired companion was not with her.

Sliding the door behind him, he posed himself best for her to wake up to, then tried a different pose, and a third. Finally deciding to kneel at her side, he hesitated, juggling the flowers and sweets he brought as gifts to the bed chamber of his love, to take off his robe, knowing she would appreciate him not having to get up again to take it off once this most special time began.

Taking a knee at her side, he realized he had no free hand with which to waken her, and again fumbled with his two presents. Finally ready, he reached out.

"Beloved. Awaken from your dreams to… argh!"

His hands found his love far too soft. Yanking back the blanket, he exposed a fake body of pillows.

Even before Tatewaki could jump to a conclusion, a feminine voice screamed in embarrassed horror from the next room. In a flash, Kuno and his boken were off to save his love.

* * *

Minutes before Kuno even left his room, Sakura Shishimi was tingling with anticipation as she slipped into the room her fiancé was occupying at the resort, wishing she could hum to herself as she worked rather than keep silent. Her future husband could snore while sleeping, quite loudly, she recalled from when he had slept in the chair beside her bed at the hospital. And that time she 'let' him stay in her locked closet to hide from his enemies while he was weakened by that evil gnome, Happosai. This time he slept silently, like a log.

Turning up the heating, she set about her plan. Recalling that American bimbo who boosted her career, Sakura began to she set up a video camera on a tripod, set the night vision filter, and aiming it with the view window at the green image of her man sleeping bundled up in blankets.

Of course that silly American tramp had blown her inheritance and respectability, for fame and a short career by indulging in the image of being a stupid spoiled whore. A talented star, such as herself, would rise on the fame when this 'stolen' recording is sold, catapulting her career into the movies, while avoiding the 'slut' label when her partner makes an honest woman out of her through their foretold marriage next year. She had a vague image of herself on the cover of major magazines, shaking her head as the image of holding the piglet form of Ryoga Hibiki in place of the little Chihuahua appeared.

'What to call it,' she mulled to herself as she prepared the last camera, this one for hand held use. 'Certainly not "One night in Sakura". "Breaking the wild horse?" Amusing, but nothing to sell it on the star of the show.'

A grin lit her face, as she pulled off her yukata, exposing her pristine, glistening skin in the dark room. Raising the handycam, she whispered to the microphone on it. "Welcome to 'Sakura in bloom', take one. Action."

Reaching down, she pulled back the blanket, frowning as Ranma's 'head' rolled away from his 'body'.

Finding her partner was a pile of pillows was just starting to churn up several emotions when the door slid open and two figures began to enter.

* * *

Rushing with the woman's cry, Kuno burst into the darkened room, weapon at the ready, taking a moment to spot two feminine silhouettes fighting in the dark. He was about to reach for the light switch when the shorter and curvier of the two figures ducked low, falling backwards in a classic judo roll. The other girl, shrieking as only his twister sister could, hit the window with a crash, vanishing outside, freezing wind blowing in the opening. With amusement for his Sister's failed attack on his beloved, Kuno rushed to hug the victor.

* * *

Awkwardly rolling herself off the uneven pillow body under the blankets, Sakura scanned the dark for the other, knowing Kodachi's 'him-bo' man had gone down when she cracked him in the head with the thrown handycam. A flicker of movement from the doorway caught a male shadow rushing her, and unbalanced as she was, she tried to roll back again, only her attacker blocked with a wooden object, crashing into her, both falling in a pile.

* * *

Shaking his head to clear the stars, Mikado spun on his back, turning the momentum to slide up to his feet. His eyes automatically locked on the fighting pair in the chilling room, springing forward, tensing the rope to try to grapple and bind the figure on his fiancée.

* * *

#click#

Six sets of eyes blinked as light flooded the room, sparkling off snowflakes swirling in the broken window.

Akane blushed, looking at Sakura, not wearing anything but Kuno, who was wearing little more, just his blue boxes with lightning bolts, and Mikado. Mikado at least, at the top of the pile, was still fully dressed. Rather than continue to watch the show, her eyes turned to the two others at the door with her.

Ignoring that two cameras had been set up in his abandoned room, Ranma was surprised, not so much at the scene, he had seen weirder and expected there was a reasonable reason for it. It was more the weird image of his unwanted fiancée's legs wrapped around Mikado so naturally with Kuno sandwiched between them.

Mikado frowned, seeing a surprised Ranma, the very target off this fiasco of a raid, looking from the doorway, and realized quickly that it was his mostly naked future brother in law under him. Blushing badly, homophobia spiking, panic hindering his efforts to get off, still holding a rope around Kuno's chest and ignoring the feminine ankles locked around his flanks.

Sakura was too surprised by the stunned, heavy, young man laying on her, his red face inches from hers, his eyes lower than her face to between them in the brief gap at where his hands had fallen on her bare chest. Worse, her fiancé stood at the door, unresponsive. Her face fell, as his blue eyes did not alight with rage or even lust, turning from her predicament uncaring, eyeing the pajama clad legs of that shameless tramp beside him.

Blushing as Ranma glanced at her legs, Akane turned her focus to the little old lady manager Ranma always called 'Mama-san', to see how she reacted to the destruction and debauchery.

With a heavy sigh, her face still emotionless, the old woman turned off the light and shut the door. She turned to the pair of guests with her, considering them both for a moment, and for a heartbeat Akane was sure she was going to speak. Finally she just sighed again unhappily, and shuffled off down the hall, leaving them alone.

The pair had the decency not to burst with laughter till they reached their commandeered room, and even then Mama-san didn't hear them over Sakura's shrieking cries of the others to get the hell out of his room.

* * *

"I thought Sakura wanted you to be the only man to see her naked?" Akane asked as she watched Ranma start on breakfast. "What were the cameras in there about?"

After losing at rock-paper-scissors over who would play taste tester, Ranma quickly chewed the first bites so he could answer, most of his attention on his body waiting for any effects, should Kodachi have meddled in the kitchen again. "No idea, but I ain't the only one to have seen her in the buff."

As his face frowned, Akane thought it might be something in the food. "What is it? A drug?"

"Huh? No, sorry, fine so far. I just still feel guilty, cause some of those photos she is suing those magazines for showing, are her. She sent them to me, but that jerk, Jiro, or one of his friends, stole them from home and sold 'em."

Akane paled at the idea of such happening to her, then realized she'd never send anyone pictures of her like that, she wouldn't have pictures like that taken. Shaking off that train of thought, she focused on the dark haired boy, who pointed to the food on the table, his left hand giving a 'thumbs up' as he shoveled down food faster.

"You don't sound too jealous of other men seeing your fiancée?" she asked, sipping a little miso to start.

He glanced around the empty dining hall of the resort, making sure Sakura wasn't behind him. "Sakura ain't my or Mom's first pick, so I'm pretty sure that some other guy can be jealous over her. If Ukyo and Shampoo up and quit and I got ta marry her, well I guess it's kind of too late to get upset. I mean now that Kuno and golden boy have seen her in the flesh, it'is just two more on the list of guys I know who have."

"In the hot spring, Sakura was saying you were the only one," she said, filling her bowl.

"I'm pretty sure Happosai has spied on her, and Pops' has. Mom was pissed at her and Pop because he apparently watched her sun baking topless in our backyard last summer. And I know Ryoga got lost and walked in on her bathing."

"You were there?"

"Nah, but he's pretty hopeless with girls, he gets a red face if a girl bends over. When I asked him what happened he got a nose bleed and passed out, so he at least saw her topless." He chuckled at the memory as he took some more rice and pickle.

"Yeah, right."

He glanced up at the flat disbelief in her voice, "Huh?"

"Like a perverted guy is gonna pass out because he saw some fake boob."

"You don't know Ryoga."

"I know Sakura. They don't even look that real, the skin all-tight, they have almost no bounce. They don't look real," she stated again, suppressing that they certainly looked bigger than hers.

He grinned at her, "Yeah, I heard you getting a good look in the hot spring." His eyebrows waggled in a decent imitation of Happi being lewd.

Unfortunately for Ranma, Akane had been waiting all night for that subject to be broached. Not even breaking from eating, her chopsticks flashed, using the Martial arts dining move of 'Parley du Foie Gras', feeding most of the wasabi paste into his mouth.

Letting him cough and drink down the entire water jug, she didn't reply to his words. Just as he calmed down, she cut him off from escalating things higher. "You really expect me to believe a pervert who slept in the same bed as your own mother and another of your fiancées, passes out at a memory of fake boob?"

He shrugged. "He ain't that perverted, just lonely. Trust me, if you ever see him in the street, strip naked for him and prove me wrong."

Though a shocking demand, it was more the shiver of him saying the word naked about her that stalled her mind. To Ranma, her jaw dropped as expected at his crassness. This time his chopsticks flicking out, a pickle bouncing off her lips as she began to catch up. Unfortunately not caught up enough, as her hand automatically used the chopsticks to hook up the Karashi, like she had the wasabi. Had she been more on the ball, she'd have known better than to try the same move twice.

Ranma opened his mouth to make a wide target for the Japanese chili paste, even as his hand caught hers, stopping her chopsticks. Leaning back, his weight dragged her forward, her eyes catching the glee in his as his free hand grabbed the top of her head, pushing her face down into the miso soup.

By the time she was upright and had wiped miso from her eyes, Ranma was across the room by the door, cheering for himself. He swallowed nervously at the anger in her eyes, briefly wondering if he had crossed the line.

"Ranma you jerk!" she cried suddenly, charging at him, his lead letting him bolt first.

* * *

Still humming in self-amusement, Ranma finished putting on his snow boots and rushed out the door, expecting Akane would be after him as soon as she cleaned up. He was kind of excited for a bit of revenge inspired sparring in the snow, but then she could also be inventive when getting revenge after the fact, and part of him liked the tense anticipation of waiting for it to happen.

His grin dropped as he spotted two new snowboards being loaded onto the bus. The fact that they weren't black or gold said they were not of the obsessive pair, which meant, he realized with a wince, that it was Sakura and Kuno planning to follow Akane's alternative choice of activity.

Behind him, Akane stormed out of the door after him, almost colliding with his back, taking a moment before realizing who it was. A moment in which he spoke.

"Kuno and Sakura have snowboards on the bus."

Her simmering anger refocused, and she shrugged her shoulders. "That isn't that surprising. Not a lot we can do about it."

Nodding, he flicked his head at the bus and fell into stride beside her as they moved, both ignoring the door bursting open behind them as two sets of steps rushed after in pursuit. Ranma was rather resigned as Sakura grabbed his arm, coming up on the other side of him from Akane, though he smirked as he caught his companion flicking her hand free from Kuno doing the same on her right.

"Ranma darling, I have simply the best news, my snowboard finally arrived."

"Overnight delivery must have cost a bit Sakura," Akane quipped back.

"Costly perhaps for some, however the coffers of the Kuno family can afford such trifles," Tatewaki stated grandly. "Especially for something that brings us together."

Akane frowned at the young man, wondering what exactly he meant by that, his smile and overconfidence giving away that there was more to this. And if Sakura was helping, it might even be an actual plan rather than an idea a five year old would come up with.

Sakura lead the way, climbing onto the bus, pulling her fiancée behind her. Kuno graciously held out his hand to take Akane's and help her step up, only to have her reach past to Ranma's free hand he held out from within the bus. With a grin at the dark haired young man, Akane pulled herself up, only for her face to fall as she saw Sakura taking the opportunity behind Ranma, still holding his hand, to lock a black set of handcuffs around his wrist to hers. At the same time, her head whipped around to see an identical pair locking to her own wrist.

"Now there's no chance of us getting separated on the slopes again," Sakura said gleefully.

"We can't snowboard like this," Akane stated, trying to pull it off, only for Kuno to be pulled at her.

"I don't see why not, we don't need stock poles to ski with snowboards," Sakura said simply, trying to take her seat, an unbalanced Ranma bumping her as she sat, trying to pull him down beside her. Faking a stumble away from her, he managed to go further and dropped to the seat of the row behind, their linked arms between the seat headrests.

Ignoring the closing of the doors as the bus prepared to depart, Akane pulled Kuno behind her by the cuffs, ignoring him grunt uncomfortably, pushing the older boy into the seats opposite the aisle from Sakura where she sat behind him similarly. A second glance at the handcuffs, showed them to be gold, with soft fur, as black as night, sheathed the restraints so as not to cause chaffing. Gazing at the gold plated links glittering between them, horror flared in Akane, glancing quickly between Sakura and Kuno. "Where did you get these?"

Kuno coughed gently, "I believe my Sister got them for her unworthy boyfriend…"

Ignoring the rest of his words, Akane looked again at the fluffy handcuffs, imagination going to places with Mikado and Kodachi that… 'Kinky,' Nabiki's voice said in her mind.

"Ewww! Pervert!"

Standing, she yanked her hand away from Kuno once again, his arm dragged on, his hand coming past hers.

#Goosh#

"Pervert!"

A dazed Kuno blinked stupidly, as his right eye's vision filled with her first before being forcibly closed. His left eye followed the same, its view filled with his own fist, limp but given momentum enough by the handcuff to Akane's to hit him hard.

"Really Akane," Sakura purred in amusement at the embarrassed young woman. "Playing hard to get is one thing, but isn't that too far?"

"You may like his hands on you like that, but I don't," Akane snapped back. "Get this thing off me."

"We ran them under boiling water after we borrowed them Akane-chan, don't be so prudish. They may be crass, but the black mink fur is very nice. Kodachi does have some taste. Tacky though how she stole the colors of the Shishimi corporate chain." She gestured idly to the black with gold trim jacket she wore, open enough to expose a healthy amount of cleavage trying to escape a black halter top. As always her medallion nested safely in the gulf.

"Where are the keys?"

Grinning at the insistent girl, the blonde young woman made no move to get her key. "I'm afraid Tate-chan was carrying it. You could try his front pockets, I'm sure he won't mind you exploring."

Grinding her teeth, Akane glanced to the distracted blue eyes of the other victim of this, who leaned forward, finally breaking his silence. With a gentle hand, he took hold of Kuno's wrist, obviously checking his pulse. "Just checking if he is okay."

As he spoke directly to Sakura in the seat in front of his, Akane felt his fingers trace onto her skin, her eyes looking at him reach the handcuffs on her wrist, fingers deftly twisting, a glint of gold near the lock.

With a click Akane's wrist was free, and quick as a flash, the black furred cuff slapped around Sakura's arm, extended while Ranma apparently checked Kuno's pulse. Sakura had only begun to frown when Ranma stood, also free from his bindings, and reached to grab his fiancées free arm, pulling it near the window, and two sets of soft clicks left her bound, arms spread out.

"There, how do you like being trapped?" Ranma asked, exasperated at yet another mess with Sakura. Her heaving chest, hungry eyes, and coy nervous smile was not what he wanted for a reply.

"Ranma, be a dear and ask the driver to pull over," Akane said quickly, shoving him forward so that he nearly tripped over Sakura's arm across the aisle, using his hands to spring over it. Looking back, Akane waved him forward, and so he moved the few steps, seeing the driver was already pulling over, still within sight of the resort.

Akane pushed Kuno back, letting him slide forward from the seat to the floor, Sakura sucking in a breath as his weight pulled on her, arms extending across the bus. Her mouth open, Akane stuck a tissue from her pocket in it, grabbing the goggles on her head and turning them around, dropping the elastic over her mouth and tightening it in an impromptu gag.

"Kuno can let you out when he wakes up," she said to the struggling blonde, before letting her voice turn softer. "Then again with how familiar you two are, I'm sure he wouldn't mind you rummaging around looking for it on him. Try his front pockets?"

* * *

Waving to the bus as it started on down the mountain, the pair turned to start back towards the resort. Ranma rolled the small golden key in his hand, and looked about to toss it into the distance, only to frown and put it in his pocket.

"Where did you even get that?" Akane asked, glad he didn't dispose of it in case they tried it again. She idly rubbed her wrist like it was dirty.

"Picked her pocket. It had to be in her jacket pocket, she refuses to use pockets near any curves cause she hates how they look when photographed. Not that that tiny thing would show."

"You can pick pockets?"

He winced at the disbelieving tone in the voice, glad she at least wasn't calling him a thief. "Hey, it's a great skill in a fight. Disarm a guy before he can use a weapon. And no one expects to have their own weapons thrown at them."

"And she didn't notice?"

"Well it wouldn't be a skill if I just blundered around her pockets," he said sarcastically. He eyed her slyly, a grin on his lips. "Close your eyes and tell me which pocket I stick my hand in?"

Her eyes closed trustingly, realizing then that should he just claim he did it, there would be no proof he did. Then her bra fell forward, loose.

Pulling her hands over her chest, she glared at him, "You pervert!" she accused.

Keeping out of her reach, he stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, but you didn't feel me do it, did ya?"

Reaching around her back and through her jacket, she did her best to re-hook the clasp. Satisfied, but knowing that she would have to open her jacket and do it properly once in private, she started walking again.

"You're pretty familiar with bras."

"Hey," he defended, even though the accusation was pretty weak for her, "I may prefer sports bras, but with my curse I'm entirely too familiar with bra clasps."

At the mention of his curse, an awkward pause came up.

"Just be glad I'm not a pervert," he began to break the silence. "Pop made one set of techniques that had to be sealed. The one guy I used it on, I took all but his underwear in the same time it took to undo your bra."

She glanced at him, face pink. "You stripped a guy? Yeah, that doesn't sound perverted at all."

"Hey, that's not what happened! Not like that!"

* * *

"Did you get them?"

Akane's question made Ranma look up, as he held out the two sets of ice skates, just down the stairs around the south side of the resort. "Yeah, what took so long? Did you check where this pond is."

Nodding, she checking the size of the shoes before smiling up at him, watching his eyes as his face turned pink. "Well I had to fix my bra properly, then I asked the girl at the counter about the foot track down the mountain to the snowfields. She showed me on the map, and I saw the path down to the pond too. It looks like a nice easy path down."

"Did you ask if it was frozen solid?"

With a glance at him like he was a child, she shook her head. "Of course not. When Sakura gets that bus turned around, she'll ask where we went. Hopefully she'll try and meet us at the bottom of the trail while we enjoy skating. As for the pond, if the ice isn't safe, it will have a sign up. Apparently the cook goes and checks it every day."

"Gori? Good cook. He's been pretty amused by the six of us."

Shrugging her shoulders, Akane frowned at the idea of being laughed at as they kept walking, "That old manager doesn't seem as impressed. I get the feeling that all of us would be booted except for you and Sakura, if Sakura wasn't involved in that pile up last night."

Both were too busy looking away to cover blushes from embarrassing thoughts, to see the other doing the same. Akane still managed to grab Ranma's arm to get him moving, coming around to the storage room below the resort where the ice skates and other items were kept.

Ranma eyed the long snowmobile in the same white and pink trim as the building, wondering briefly what it would be like to drive it, while Akane's eyes caught on something on the wall.

"Here, put these on," she said taking down the old-fashioned snowshoes from the wall. "They go on your feet."

Frowning at the odd wood circles with mesh straps, he sat on the edge of the ski mobile and began to put them on. "What are they?"

"Snow shoes. It spreads your weight so that you don't sink in. Makes it a lot easier for hiking."

"Cool."

Finished putting on the shoes, he stood awkwardly, looking to her at the doorway. "Hey, why aren't you wearing these?"

She took in his wide, awkward stance, grinning. "We're only going a kilometer Ranma, I wouldn't be caught dead in those things. You look like an idiot."

"Hey!"

* * *

Trudging down the snowy path together, Akane was still smiling, taking in the view. She glanced back at him as he began walking erratically, taking odd steps in the snow. He had put the snowshoes back, so it wasn't anything to do with them. "What are you doing?"

"Do you think there is a technique that would let you stand on snow? Or even water?"

Blinking as he just asked a question rather than answer her, she considered his steps, before finally getting it. "I've seen stranger things. Are you just trying to walk on rocks and sticks at the surface of the snow?"

"Yeah, not working yet. Back when the old ghoul, Shampoo's great grandmother, turned up, she made me fight her by locking my curse and offering a cure if I married Shampoo," he said, suppressing a shiver. "We had a big fight at the beach. She stood on the water, and Pop reckoned lots of masters could stand on sticks and trash on the water without sinking. Turns out she was standing on a shark."

"A shark?" Akane gasped.

"Yeah, big one too. I suppose it is just as weird that she got a shark to help her as her standing on water?"

With a shrug, he went back to trying to work out how to concentrate his weight to balance on a tiny stick, thinking back on how the snowshoes tried to spread it out to keep from sinking.

"What happened with your curse?"

Glancing at Akane, he refocused on his walking training, clearly uncomfortable.

"That time, she used this pressure point to stop me from being able to handle hot water, so I couldn't become male again."

Akane looked at him concerned, but let him keep talking.

"She let me have the cure when I attacked her with the neko-ken, that impressed her. Heh, I was busy dodging the shark in the surf, when she hit me with a jet of water, threw me back on the beach. When I went back in, I dragged Shampoo into the surf with me to make her change into her ca-ca-ca… cursed form, and used it to bring out the neko-ken."

The sick grin on his face made Akane reach out and take his hand. He stopped to look at her.

For a moment, they stood in uncomfortable silence, before Akane gave his hand a squeeze. "It must be scary to have the curse locked like that?"

Frowning, he turned to start walking again, looking ahead, pulling her by the hand he didn't release. "Yeah, it ain't nice. Mom cried the first time. I hate hurting her."

Squeezing his hand again, Akane didn't interrupt, part of her mind flicking through memories of her own lost mother, wondering how she might have reacted in Nodoka's place. Childhood memories couldn't have really answered that, and the way Aunty was on men and women… She felt keenly aware of the black underwear she wore, her least lacy option after her friend's mother had helped repack for this trip. At least she had pajamas. Sharing a room with Ranma in something transparent would have not happened last night.

Shaking off improper thoughts, Akane shook her head. "She's proud of you. And she loves you."

He nodded, uncomfortable. For a moment she thought he was going to start walking again, but instead he looked at her. "She cares about you a lot too. Way more than any of my fiancées." Ranma had expected her to smile at the comment, instead she focused out, thinking about something. Taking a step, he tugged on her hand, her body automatically following behind him.

Akane's stomach was sinking, things about Aunty Nodoka's actions clicking together in her mind. Her words about Ranma, her own bridal training with the domestic duties she had been teaching her, the more feminine wardrobe, her issues with her and Ranma's engagements…

"Ranma, do you ever get the feeling, Aunty might want us together?"

Ranma's blue eyes flashed, his mind echoing with his mother's words…

'Well, if Akane doesn't go through with her engagement, you can always try and get her to be your mistress.'

He was almost positive it had been a joke, but he knew her well enough that telling it to Akane was a bad idea. Like telling his mother he got free snacks if he went down to the food court at the markets in his girl form without a bra… again.

"Nah," he said, internally wincing as she looked at him, seeing she wasn't letting it go. "I mean, my loss. But you know mom and honor. Even if she hates my fiancées…"

Akane nodded as he trailed off, keeping her face from showing the part of her that was disappointed that it wasn't, and the part of her that trilled that he knew it was his loss.

As they kept walking, neither noticed they still held each other's hands.

* * *

Leaving him sill lacing his ice skates, Akane stood up, sliding out on the smooth natural surface. It was a small pond, a trickling feed down from melting snow up the mountain, and maybe overflow from the hot springs the resort was built on. It wasn't more than a hundred feet across the longest part of its ovoid shape. A grove of leafless trees surrounded it, cutting off the view, though doing nothing to protect them from the sun above when it peeked out from behind thick snow clouds. She eyed the rope and sign at the far side of the pond.

"You sure this ice is thick enough? I don't want to go girl today."

Rolling her eyes, Akane turned gracefully on her skates, bending forward while moving backwards, as she extended a leg behind her to point to the sign at the far end of the ice. She grinned, as his eyes didn't leave her. "See the sign and the rope at that end? As long as we stay up this end of the pond, it should be more than thick enough. Even for your big head."

"Why you!"

Akane ducked a snowball, turning her body down to dodge a second from her male companion, who was still sitting safely at the edge of the natural pool. With a cocky grin just like he used when she couldn't hit him, she moved to more flashy moves, divots, leg downs and spins to dodge his flurry of snowballs.

Powder dashed off her but she managed to avoid any direct strikes, going up in a flashy three sixty twisting jump, legs and arms pulled in.

Ranma's hands froze, stopping his scoop and throwing action as Akane got too near the rope. "Akane!"

Looking to Ranma, Akane only felt something catch her foot, her spin stopping as her momentum tilted her sideways, and with a crack she hit the ice, cold water surrounding her.

Face pale, Ranma watched her crack through the ice. Taking a step out, he almost fell as the skate slid from under him. Eyes again on the hole where Akane went through, one of her arms, weakly flailing, as if something was keeping her down.

With a rip, he tore the laces whole from the skates, leaving them behind as he sprung out onto the ice, sliding and pushing on all fours till he crashed with a splash into the icy water after her.

Breaking the surface, Ranma's strong feminine arms pushed Akane up and onto the ice, the red heads feet on the shallow bottom letting the boy turned girl hold the young woman from sliding back down. For her part, Akane coughed up dirty, icy water onto the frozen surface.

Grabbing the coughing girl into his arms, the red head leapt up, knowing the freezing cold water now weighing down her heavy sodden clothes, would drop their body temperature fast. Unsteady on the ice, she shuffled forward, away from the break and to the edge of the pond.

Almost limp but for her coughing, Akane was awkwardly heavy, forcing Ranma to twist her over and around. Careful not to impinge her breathing, the red head lifted her over her shoulder as she sprang forward, ignoring the snowy track to leap from rocks and trees, straight for the hot springs at the resort.

A minute of her fastest hustle, and growing concerned of the gasping breaths and lack of reaction from Akane, Ranma charged on as fast as he could.

"Hold on Tomboy!"

With a final leap over the bamboo fence, the pair crashed into the steaming water. His form wavering as hot and cold water against his body clashed over the curse, Ranma fumbled with her clothes, yanking the jacket off her, desperate to get her warm.

As he tried to undo her pants, her arms automatically blocked his hands, eyes blank as she moaned unintelligibly.

Grabbing her arms, he held her still. "Akane, ya gotta get out of these wet clothes."

"No," she moaned, fear on her face, eyes unfocused. "Don't you touch me."

"Tomboy, it's me, Ranma!"

* * *

Akane tumbled through abject confusion, hot and cold, up and down, her mind trying to get a grip on her surroundings. She didn't know where she was or why, but her mind chilled as her clothes were pulled from her, the image of Kuno looming before her, his hands darting past hers, tearing at her jacket.

"Tomboy, it's me, Ranma!"

Her vision shifted, suddenly in a memory from a movie the day before. Laying on a mat in a generic school gym, she was a judo girl, undressing from her gi at the caressing of her red-haired partner. Cheesy porno music chimed around them, the heat overwhelming, she looked to the third figure, a moment ago her attacker. Now a black haired kendo student, his bright blue eyes on her, were caressing her flesh as her companions delicate hands pulled her clothes away.

Pulling Ranma down, she wasn't even sure which Ranma she latched onto.

* * *

For a moment, Ranma was unsure what was in his mouth. Akane's arms were iron around his neck, her lips hot on his.

With a cough, the kiss broke, Akane slumping in his arms, passed out.

For a moment, he didn't react, trying to mentally catch up, but as she coughed again, Ranma shook himself out of it. Blushing, he focused on her state of health and not her state of dress, leaving on the last item she wore. Never releasing her shoulders, he stripped himself of his clothes now sodden with hot water. Pulling her back against his chest, he lay a hand on her stomach, timing her breath, and pushing gently with her diaphragm.

"Deep breaths Akane. Breath in the heat."

He didn't know if she heard him, but kept going regardless, ignoring the tingling of his lips.

* * *

In the sitting room of the Tendo family home, Nodoka steadied herself, calming her nerves as she prepared for a battle. She regretted that she hadn't brought her secret weapon, but perhaps that was wisest in the end. This would never work if it came to blows.

Finally, Soun led his aged master into the room.

"Grandmaster Happosai, I see you are well."

Sneering, the tiny and wizened old man looked his student's wife over like a piece of meat. "And you're looking hot still too, No-chan. Since that failure of a student of mine has been hanging around here, I assume you got yourself a man on the side to give you a good work out every night?"

Despite his words, and the fact that she could feel his eyes undressing her, she didn't react to him. She probably would have blushed had she been Akane's age, especially with the insinuation in front of Soun. "Please Master Happosai, have a seat and a cup of tea."

"Soun, take Genma out to the dojo and practice. I wouldn't want him to watch his wife offer me favors to help with her scheming."

Soun, fearful of his glaring old martial arts master, scurried off, not that Nodoka saw. Her eyes locked on the tiny man.

"So you know what I want for Akane and my son, what will it take to keep you from interfering?"

"Why would I want to interfere?" he asked. Snatching up his cup of tea roughly, he didn't drink, instead held it, waiting for her to mull on an answer, before he continued. "I mean, we are only talking about you and those two idiots trying to play with the future of my school of martial arts. Why should I even care?"

Sipping her tea to give her time to consider the best approach, Nodoka nodded. "The very reason I asked to have tea with you, Master Happosai, is to find out how you feel and make sure you are amenable to this matter of honor. Don't you think uniting the schools and ensuring a talented heir for your school a worthy goal?"

The wrinkled old man gave a short sharp mocking laugh. "A talented heir? Assuming your pansy son isn't gay, and that his curse doesn't make him father only more girls, what kind of heir would it be? Like him? An untalented, arrogant, whelp? Or little miss Daddy's girl? Crying because she can't beat a boy with a stick, or say no to her even more pathetic father."

"Both are talented and honorable," Nodoka snapped, not willing to have them insulted further. "My son is good enough to challenge your own skills, and despite the personal hardship of not being allowed to pursue his manly urges, he believes it is best to suppress them in favor of not dishonoring those promised to him in the mess that his father created."

"Gay," Happi drawled.

"Furthermore," Nodoka continued, ignoring his petty insult, "Akane spoke so highly of you I assumed you had more respect for her and her potential happiness."

Sneering, the bald old man held her gaze as he seized on a word. "Her potential? Oh she has potential, very imaginative mind in that tight body there. Going to be a lot of fun once she gets over her fears. I would have left her to that Kuno boy if she wasn't. But why waste that potential on a useless timid husband like your boy."

"Even if she loves him?"

Happi stopped at her fast return, covering with a sip of tea. "Like I need to remind you how love is fleeting."

"Love never releases us completely, I would have thought you experienced enough to know that."

Putting down his cup, he brushed his fingers over his white whiskers. "If she truly loves him, nothing I do will drive them apart."

"Don't make this a challenge against her heart, Happosai," Nodoka said, putting down her own cup. "I'm asking you, please just sit back and see if they want this. Can you do that?"

Slowly, he nodded, "I could be persuaded."

"What will it take?" Nodoka asked, steeling herself for some shocking request.

"Their first born be named…?"

"No."

"I get to join in the wedding night…?"

"No."

"You and the fiancées play strip twister…?"

"No."

"Genma, a video camera, and another hard spanking…?"

"No!"

"I get to be the minister for his wedding, regardless of which girl it is?"

Nodoka frowned, trying to control herself, focusing back on the cunning old man. She'd have to talk to her husband about how the venerable pervert learned such an embarrassing secret, of how Genma cured her Amazon induced amnesia about himself and her son not long after they returned from their training trip.

Putting that aside, she refocused on the little man's final request. "Are you even a priest?"

With a smirk, the wrinkled old pervert rummaged through his dirty gi, tiny fingers emerging with a small stack of cards. "Ah, well the Catholic Church excommunicated me for revealing some naughty 'habits'… And I was ordained by the Church of Scientology, but I couldn't pay dues from a cave. Ah here we go, Shinto priest, Mormon minister, and a Moonie celebrant... If we go with the last two, I can marry him to all the girls in one ceremony?"

Disregarding his words, of either the American group rumored to be polygamists and the Unification Church group that ran mass weddings years before, Nodoka considered the overall idea. If Akane was to be the bride, Happi liked her so much he wouldn't ruin the day completely, and with the right preparation, they should be able to reign in the old pervert. If it was another of the girls…

"I think that can be arranged, if that is your price for letting them reach a wedding?"

The old man sneered. "If Akane-chan is happy with that, I look forward to her special day. Just too bad she'll have a husband without the guts to hold her."

* * *

Back in the hot spring atop Mitsupurezentou Mountain, Ranma Saotome was doing his best to ignore the hormones in his blood pounding into his brain as he held Akane in his arms.

She had stopped coughing a while before, a sign of recovery he hoped, though she had yet to wake up. Not that he planned to wake her up, not without more of a lead before she could drown him for waking up near naked with him in the hot spring.

A touch of cool on his ear made him glance up, a white flake appearing out of the gray sky, followed by another, then more and more. Soft flakes of snow descended, some vanishing into the steam of the hot spring, replaced by more and more out of the cool winter air.

Squirming, his companion twisted in his hold, yawning as she awoke, only to cough lightly. With a sigh, she settled back against him, looking at the snow falling on the rocks and bamboo walls. "Beautiful."

"Yeah." Ranma wasn't sure what else he could say, wincing slightly as she glanced back at him, surprising him with a smile.

Ranma being there to share the moment made Akane happy. Her eyes dipped from his worried face to his strong bare shoulders just above the waterline. A naughty part of her mind wondered what he was wearing under the water. A panicked part of her mind wondered what she was wearing.

Even expecting to be hit, Ranma didn't try to dodge it, but was pleasantly surprised at the lack of pain, her hand simply slapping over his eyes as she spun off his lap.

"How did we get here?"

"Nothing perverted, I swear," he said quickly not moving to try and see or pull her hand away. "How's your lungs? You fell through the ice and got a lungful of cold water."

Suddenly focused on it, she felt a dull ache from her lungs, her mind suddenly recalling the moment as she skated, dodging snowballs, then the sudden cold and panic. She looked down, slightly ashamed at having to be rescued. With a blush she looked up.

"And you're naked because?"

"We were both waterlogged, I just kicked my pants off. I was trying to hold you above the water while you recovered when I did."

Her free hand confirmed she at least wore underwear under the water, her eyes caught sight of her bra on a nearby rock, half hanging in the water. She briefly considered reaching for it, but since it matched the lacy briefs she wore, the top half of the cups were transparent and useless to her. Another of Aunty's helpful repacked items, her underwear was far more racy than her preference, but at least Aunty had stopped with the thongs.

Sinking down into the hot water, she covered her chest with her free arm, before pulling her hand from his face. She smiled slightly, amused that he kept his eyes closed. Leaning up, she kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you."

* * *

"Thank you."

Said softly, and away from him, Tatewaki Kuno still heard the words from his beloved.

Having awakened locked to the beautiful blonde host on the bus, the pair had been back up and down the mountain in search of his pure Akane and Sakura's ill chosen fiancé for hours. Finally he left Sakura down the mountain and returned, suffering the jibes of his sister and Mikado over his bruising eyes and bad mood, as they returned from the ski fields planning to go ice skating on a nearby pond.

Tired and irritable, he made to take advantage of a relaxing soak in the hot spring.

Walking into the hot spring area and finding the woman he was going to marry naked with the demonic letch Saotome, was not as relaxing as he hoped.

"Stand away from him Akane Tendo!"

The barked order from Kuno drove the pair apart, Akane ducking low in the water as Ranma stood up, moving to stand in front of her from the towel wearing kendo champion.

"This ain't what you think," Ranma started, only for Kuno, his eyes ringed with dark from Akane's previous injury of him, to glare down at him from the higher ground just out of the spring.

"I know not what dark and vile magic you use to tempt her, but I will break you and free her and reclaim her."

Realizing that arguing was not going to get Kuno to leave or Akane back to her room to get dressed, Ranma shook his head. "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"

Scooping water up, his hands blurred as he shot ball after ball of hot water at Kuno, hitting him up the chest with the first three before the fourth splashed over his face as he fell back. The moment his vision was obscured, Ranma lunged for Akane, leaping straight up out of the water with her.

* * *

Landing on the rocks outside the pools, meters below the windows of the south wing, Ranma almost immediately panicked. Not because of the state of either of their dress, but away from the hot water of the spring, the freezing cold made him immediately focus on Akane's welfare. "Grab the powdered snow."

Akane turned away from Ranma, ignoring his command, red faced at her state and worse his, when cold pressed down her back. "What are you doing?" She demanded, trying to glare at him without looking over her shoulder as he dusted over her back with a handful of snow.

"It's only cold for a second, but the powdered snow is dry. It'll take the water off your skin before it starts to freeze."

Recalling Ranma's experience at survival on the road, she dropped her embarrassment to obey, grabbing a handful of snow and rubbing it over her arm to test it. That trust didn't reach her mouth. "You could have just jumped to the women's side, idiot."

"Yeah, and you could have gone for it under the water, oh yeah, you're the girl who nearly drowned in a waist deep pond," he snapped back, drying himself.

"I panicked you jerk!" she said, turning to threaten him with a fist.

Part nervous of Kuno hearing them argue, and part distracted by her, he wrenched his blue eyes from her and looked up at the building above, spotting a window open ajar ahead. He stepped around her quickly without looking, heading for it. "Let's see if there's robes or towels in that room."

Hands covering herself in embarrassment again, Akane began to follow, her eyes looking down his back and lower. Flushing red again, she sprang forward overtaking quickly.

"Maybe I should go first Akane," he said, following, tempted to jump ahead but knowing there was no safe side to view her from.

"I'm at least wearing something, idiot!" she said back quickly, trying to shake the image of what vista she was escaping staring at, from her mind.

"Ah, yeah, not in those panties."

Stopping suddenly, she let him pass, bending to look around her side as her hand pulled the rear of her underwear around, seeing right through the material, much like the transparent cups of her abandoned bra. She winced as Ranma's voice carried back to her.

"Ah, this may be a bad time, but what are those marks?"

Recalling the two embarrassing marks on her left cheek, twin swirls of yellow and black, she blushed recalling the embarrassing story behind them. For an instant she was going to say birthmarks, but this was a friend who would probably understand better than most. "Ah, long story. Neko-ken long."

"Okay," Ranma said slowly, taking it as a promise to tell him later. Still he knew they would play on his mind till he did get the whole story.

Reaching the point below the cracked open window, he glanced at Akane, seeing her shiver. "I'll toss down a robe or something, then you get around to the main entrance."

Leaping up, he awkwardly grabbed onto the window and pulled it open. Darting inside, he found the room occupied. Kodachi Kuno stood holding a yukata out.

"Awesome," Ranma stated, yanking the robe from her hands and tossing it out the window. Turning back to thank her and explain, his eyes bugged out as he saw a lot more of the Black Rose.

* * *

Kodachi's mind was just trying to come to terms with what had happened.

She had returned with her fiancé from the slopes and was changing out her clothes, planning for a little private time in the hot spring with Mikado, when cold air from the window made her turn.

Not the first male intruder she had ever encountered, his nudity stalled her a moment too long and with an "Awesome," he ripped away her only covering from her hands.

Now the blue eyed young man seemed even more surprised by this than she was, his hand slapping over his eyes as he jumped back from her.

"Ack, Sorry, this ain't what it looks like. I am so…"

His backing up bumped into the cupboard, a black rose in a simple vase, a romantic trifle from Mikado, tipping over, cold water running down his back.

"…sorry. Ack, cold!"

Kodachi just continued to stare, speechless with her ponytail sticking up in fright, her ears ringing with his voice as it changed octave mid sentence from male to female. The handsome young stud before her shifting like a special effect from a movie, into an attractive red haired woman.

Ranma shivered at the cold stream down her back, risking a peak to see if Kodachi had covered up, the girl still bare, as she looked stunned at the redhead.

That was when the door opened.

Mikado Sanzenin rather hopped to catch his love half dressed. Catching her naked, with a second naked woman in the room, was rather more than he hoped for. The buxom red head with bright blue eyes was rather an impressive sight by herself, certainly a rival to his fiancée's beauty.

"Ack!" The red head said again, reaching up to yank down the entire curtain from around the window, to wrap it around her body, and jump back out the window into the cold.

For several long seconds, Kodachi and Mikado just watched the open window, before Mikado spoke. "An early Christmas present to share?" he asked hopefully.

Shaken from her shock, the dark haired beauty reached into the closet, pulling out another robe. "An intruder, dear. A most unusual one." Wrapping it around herself, she moved to walk out the door.

"I'm going to go soak for a while. We can skate later, dear. I need to think."

* * *

The knocking at her door made Akane smile, as she rushed to open it. Just finished drying off and changing after their cold escape from death, embarrassment, and Kuno, she felt surprisingly invigorated.

Ranma stood in the doorway, male once more, dressed once more, holding a set of white and pink curtains. "Hey, you okay?"

She nodded with a grin, but her voice failed as she suppressed another potential cough from her lungs, feeling a low dull ache from the icy water she had inhaled. "I'll live," she said finally.

Obviously still concerned, he didn't refute her. "I got our clothes back from the spring, they're with the staff to get dried out."

"What's with the curtains?" Akane asked, giving a smile that there was no need for her to go back to the hot spring immediately.

His hand touched the shortened hair at the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah, can you give these back to Kodachi, and thank her for the robe and apologize for me?"

"What do you mean? Why can't you do it?"

"Er, that robe I threw you, that was from Kodachi. Ah, she ain't gonna be happy since I barged in, in the buff, and stole it not realizing she was putting it on."

"So you saw her naked?"

The flat voice from Akane was something he would more expect from one of his fiancées, at least if they were in a calm mood. He knew he was in danger.

"Hey, I covered my eyes immediately. I was just trying to get you something to cover up and get out of the cold."

Frowning still, Akane had a brief flash of memory, recalling the morning after they first met. Ranma had made a perverted joke, 'You're really cute in just a towel,' he had said. Unfortunately, even in jest she hadn't been able to let him get away with it. Her light slap hadn't even made him flinch and cost her that very towel. He had covered his eyes then too. Her mind then flittered through when she stood up to fight Shampoo during the first massage, of when he stormed in on her changing at that dress shop at Ginza, while he recovered from being slammed in the wall by Karumi, and other times…

Her eyes narrowed on him. "You haven't been covering your eyes when I'm undressed anymore."

Confused at how she came to that accusation, Ranma bristled. How was he was meant to not look at her in most of the weird situations that she ended up half naked around him. "Ain't like I been ogling you. You just can't keep you're clothes on," he defended.

"Excuse me? Pervert!"

Sticking out his tongue, he backed up out of reach into the hall as she tried to close to punching range. "Good think you don't realize how cute you look without a towel," he teased, reminding her of that joke from the Saotome home's bathroom, "Your head would be too big to fit down the hall."

"Pervert!" she cried, charging forward but ducking the curtains he threw at her.

Ranma turned to flee, only to come nose to point with a boken.

"Defiler! Enemy of women!"

Kuno's declaration stopped Akane short of beating her black haired friend, but she still ran around Ranma, knocking the wooden blade out of the way. "Upperclassman Kuno, Ranma is neither of those things. Leave us alone, I would have drowned earlier if Ranma hadn't saved me."

Stalled by the declaration, Kuno looked between his love and his enemy. Ranma, uncomfortable at having Akane tell what happened, an accident that Akane would not have been at risk of if not for him throwing snowballs, he put his hand on her shoulder.

"If Kuno wants another beating, I'm happy to give it to him."

Refocusing on this challenge, Kuno ignored Akane to focus his black eyes on Ranma. "A fight we shall have, and this time your trickery will not let you steal victory. With your defeat, Akane-chan, my fierce tigress, shall return with me to her familiar home in Nerima, free of your influence!"

"No way!" Akane snapped, not that either boy listened.

"If you win, Akane goes back to her home. But when I smack you down, it's over. You will never pursue Akane Tendo ever again. You won't even talk to her, ever again."

Akane froze, part scared for Ranma battling this monster again, part elated at the very idea of Kuno leaving her alone, and part angry that she wasn't the one fighting for her future like this. Another slight cough reminded her she was in no condition to fight Kuno.

"Never," Kuno whispered, his face pale.

"That's right, never."

Kuno shook his head, trying to express himself more properly. "No, I would never agree to such terms."

The other two teens suddenly caught up, Akane feeling disappointment, Ranma however had a more direct reaction.

"Bwark buk buk buk," he began, his arms hooking up like chicken wings he flapped, continuing to make chicken noises.

Kuno raised the boken he had in salute. "Very well Saotome."

* * *

The two combatants stood ready, a short distance apart in the large empty parking area out the front of Koibito no Tansai resort. White mounds of snow and leafless trees ringed the area, previously cleared driving and walking paths were now dusted with a light powder of fresh flakes, still trickling down from the cloud filled sky.

Watching from near the doorway with a scarf around her neck, Akane's hands opened and closed slowly, wishing she had something more she could do.

Kuno appraised the young man before him. Raising the wooden blade in his hand, an identical practice blade in his other hand. "You have invited your doom, Saotome. For I have researched and studied your trickery at our last confrontation. Your poor judgment shows itself as you stand in a battlefield that all but assures my victory."

"Hey Kuno," Ranma interrupted looking bored. "I'm sorry but if you are going to give a speech with two black eyes, I just ain't gonna take you seriously. A little bit more snow on your clothes and you'll look like a panda!"

"Ranma!" Akane cried out, "Don't underestimate him!"

Giving her a wink, Ranma looked back to his opponent, who saluted with his chosen weapon, but without waiting for Ranma to bow in return, he began whipping his blade around, cutting the air, gusts of wind raking up snow.

"Northern Wind Style, Rikugun no fubuki!"

His feet landed on the ground with a crack, the churned up snow drawn in on his blade, the weapon whipping through the air, launching at Ranma.

Had Kuno not called his move 'Army in the Blizzard', Ranma might have been surprised as cutting winds carved through the blinding snow. Leaping by trained instinct, they weren't too hard to evade, the gaps growing wider as Kuno, equally blinded to Ranma's location, widened the cone of his assault.

Going low and trying to blend in, Ranma crawled into the snow, letting Kuno's move conceal him, preparing to counter attack. As the wind faded above him, he stayed still and silent, waiting for the moment to strike.

"Coward, wherefore…"

Kuno's voice gave away his location as Ranma burst from the snow, launching snowballs to keep the older boy defensive. Kuno knocked the balls away, but the last was loose snow, dusting past his weapon at his eyes.

Projecting his ki to the right, Ranma broke left, using a tip from Akane about such a fake in the past. Blinded, Kuno swung on instinct at the presence of his enemy, cutting cleanly but hitting nothing.

'Too easy,' Ranma thought, sliding in the opening and opening up.

"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"

Faster than the eye could trace, his fists lashed out, hitting several times before he leapt back disbelieving.

The 'Blue Thunder' stood calmly, unhurt, his second wooden blade held in the middle of its length before him, where his wrist had flicked the ends fast enough to block the punches from Ranma's now stinging hands.

"I warned you Saotome, I studied you after my last battle. You will find no heat in the air here, and you can never break down my iron defenses."

A little less confident, Ranma briefly assessed options, recalling cracking the tower of that mother kidnapper Kirin, of the Seven Lucky Gods, to get to the hot water spring under it. Hot water punches could probably hit him past the wooden blades, but Ranma couldn't bet he could crack the mountain to the spring here. Leading Kuno to the hot spring seemed unlikely too, Kuno wanted this open area to fight for good reason.

Time to think of options was running out, as he dodged another cutting wind, Kuno crying "Aoi Raikou Dan!" as a bolt of lightning instantly snaked at Ranma. The dark haired boy rolled through the air, his pants smoking from the singeing of a near miss.

Again trying to blind Kuno with a flurry of snowballs, Ranma's hopes of a repeat at getting under the swordsman's guard were dashed as he dodged back and left, then right, adapting to Ranma faster than he expected.

"Dou Ryu Sen!"

Dodging back, Ranma weathered rocks and dust among the chilling wind Kuno launched at him, frowning briefly at the use of a name of the move from a manga, wondering where the swordsman went to for new technique ideas. The wooden blade had stabbed the rocking ground, gouging it not unlike the breaking point of the Amazons, but Kuno combined it with a cutting wind to make a dangerous shrapnel that pierced his shirt in a few places.

Catching his ground, Ranma chose to act rather than continue to react, it was time to get dirty.

"Are you gonna make me sweat soon, Kuno? I mean I get a better work out banging Akane."

Kuno froze, glaring death at the dark haired young man.

By the entrance, Akane bit her lip, swearing to beat the pervert up after he won the fight.

Seeing the anger and hate starting to roll off the older boy, Ranma jogged in place, like this was more exercise than a fight to him. "Hey Akane still hasn't told me about those two marks on her ass…"

"SILENCE!" Kuno shouted, whipping his wooden blades, sending cutting winds and lightning bolts at the vile demon before him, "You're lies will not reach my ears!"

Ranma landed, moving around to the right, starting the spiral as Kuno burned with rage.

"Hey, I wonder if she just never told you of em, or if I accidentally made 'em myself?" he stated, leaping to the left to maintain the spiral but let him thrust his hips while spanking imaginary booty.

Kuno's leading weapon burst into red flames, the wood starting to char at rage filled ki lashed out, unwittingly playing right into Ranma's plan.

Tightening the spiral, Ranma rushed the last, dashing in low, with a corkscrew uppercut.

"HIRYU SHOTEN HA!"

"TAMING THE DRAGON!"

Kuno's eyes flashed as he shouted his response, his second weapon slicing at Ranma's legs, cracking with ice as it froze the air around it.

Forced to jump up, Ranma found himself diving into the heart of his own blast, leaping up into it.

Below him, a gleeful Kuno stood firm to the ground, his twin blades, one raging heat and the other freezing cold, swirled in counterpoint, feeding the dragon his opponent had created.

Spinning in the cutting winds of the attack, blinded by drawn in snow, Ranma tried to body surf towards the heart, refusing to quit. Again experience was his weapon, recalling his battle with the Prince of the Musk Dynasty, a fellow Jusenkyo curse victim, who was the descendant of Dragons, and a master of Ki. He too had anticipated Ranma using the Hiryu Shoten Ha, and walked away from it unharmed. Fortunately, much like Herb, Kuno was putting out a lot of power into the atmosphere with his attacks, and the weather itself was on his side.

The rising dragon entered the snow cloud above, drawing its mass in even as Ranma drew all the ki and battle aura together. The ball forming in the funnel that was the dragon's mouth slowed its ascent, growing larger and larger. The moment the hurricane abated he was coming down with a massive strike of the 'Dragon's Descending Crashing Wave'.

Kuno smiled victorious at the power he wielded with his weapons. Where Saotome's attack shot skywards, by using the hot and cold blades he continued to feed the dragon that was tearing his opponent apart. It wouldn't be coming down till he was sure Saotome was destroyed.

Still drawing in power to the massive bomb of energy he now rode, Ranma strained to contain it. He only needed the hurricane to falter and he had this won. With rising panic, he realized the twister had been going on too long and too strong. If the storm didn't fail now he was going to lose control and lose the fight.

* * *

Akane's eyes were wide with terror, seeing Kuno defeat Ranma's ultimate move with cool efficiency. As the twister sucked the clouds into its mass and continued to grow, her thoughts were only for the man trapped inside it. This was the second fight she had held back from using Martial Arts Cheer Leading to help, but she had other moves she could use to help.

Picking up a fist sized rock, she faced onto Kuno, drawing a finger over her brow as she lined him up. Her hands broke off part of the stone to round it for this technique, an obscure trick Happosai had shown her, a martial art based off the British sport of Cricket. Starting a run up, she arced her throwing arm up with a straight elbow over the apex, whipping the ball ahead, flicking with her wrist and fingers as hard as she could to give it spin.

Simply tossing a ball or rock at Kuno failed, his magically enhanced technique blocking thrown weapons, however with the right aim, the ball, in this case a rounded rock, hit the ground just were his blades would reach it, a swordsman desire to preserve his blade leaving a small hole in his defenses. The spin would ricochet off the ground, changing the angle of the balls trajectory, in this case straight into what cricketer's jokingly referred to as a man's 'middle stump'.

Kuno's blades faltered, their owner distracted, his eyes watering. The energy charring one wooden blade flickering out, the weapon turning to soot, its partner frozen brittle shattered against the ground at his feet. His eyes watering in an all too familiar pain, Kuno fell to his knees, looking up at the shadow in the sky as the rage of his storm faltered.

For Ranma, it was too late.

A mighty explosion cracked like thunder, echoing around the mountains, followed by snow heavy bursting down on the battlefield.

Through the descending white, Akane felt more than spotted Ranma falling, her legs pounding, as fast as she could over rough and slippery terrain. With a final leap, she caught her dark haired friend, just before he slammed like a limp rag doll into the ground.

Holding back tears of concern, Akane checked his bruised form over, ignoring the approach of the limping Kuno.

The wannabe samurai looked contemptuously at the young man she held.

"Victory."

To be continued…

Happi sends a shout out to the 'Australian Fast Bowler' for the stolen technique. This Australian hero, who can be found on Skithouse, used a fast bowl to knock him away from stealing undies from a Hills Hoist. "Off you go, back to the pavilion."

Cookies for all who got the 'mountains' gag. You know who you are.

As can be expected, next chapter will be eclectic, with angst filled and angry heroes who have been separated, moments that will be sabotaged with comedy moments into that strange quagmire too often comedy sitcoms go into in the name character growth or making a point or that of serious consequences. In Nerima, a few months away reminds us the more things stay the same, the more they change.

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me - **Jamison**, **Hpackrat**, **Angela Jewel **(the heroes of this chapters efforts), Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, MZephyr, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Please please please review all that you read.

The Anything Goes Martial Arts Review Challenge goes on, but with new, revised rules after the failing of the first attempted under chapter 10. Now, because a paragraph out of context isn't funny, it is a full scene written per review. Also because Chapter 12 is almost done (or it was before Ryoga showed up for a few extra scenes), and chapter 13 first draft is ready to be adapted over, and both chapters have some surprises and plot twists, I fear that I will give away unwanted major spoilers in scenes writen for the challenge in chapters 14+, add the marker 'NS' (for no spoiler) to your review to be kept in the dark.

The rest of the AGMA review challenge is now on my profile page.

Please please help keep pushing me through this challenge?

Thanks,

Trent O'Donoghue.

Special thanks to FF for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.


	12. Chapter 12

Ranma Fanfiction: Meeting Later 12

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 11 Dec 08

* * *

Akane Tendo stormed into her home, dumping her bag against the bottom of the stairs, reaching for the phone.

"Akane?" Kasumi asked, coming to see who had marched into their home, was surprised to find her sister there. Said sister held up a hand, listening to the phone ringing after calling the Saotome home.

"Come on, come on," she mumbled, hoping Ranma would pick up, despite the fact that the helicopter back with Kuno meant she was home much faster than she expected he would be. At least Aunty should be there so she could explain why she was back at the dojo.

Fortunately Nodoka was much closer, coming up behind Kasumi, equally surprised by the appearance of Akane, the younger woman's face showing streaks of tears. "Akane, what happened? Why are you back early?"

Akane dropped the phone, turning to hug both women, emotions churning, unable to start explaining.

* * *

Finally calmed down with a cup of tea in her hand, Akane finished retelling how Ranma had fallen during the fight with Kuno. With her face wiped of tear streaks, she seemed much better, even thouse as her panic faded she sparked with more and more anger.

"Kuno was so arrogant, as usual, but he went to have them call for the helicopter to bring me back to Tokyo with him. Ranma woke up just as I got him back to his room. He started apologizing, he sounded awful. Then he started packing, saying he'd challenge Kuno again, and when I turned away for a second, he was gone."

Nodoka seemed calmed, knowing there was nothing wrong with her son physically. She sipped at her tea, looking at Akane over the table. "I don't think you need to worry Akane-chan. My son is strong, but he is a somewhat poor loser. If it is over something important to him, he tends to feel failure as the end of the world."

Kasumi's eyes turned to Akane's, watching her baby sister's reaction to Aunty's choice of words.

With a faint chuckle, Akane agreed with Nodoka's appraisal, imagining Ranma looking for some kind of training method as they spoke.

"For now, I think I will take my husband home. A sparring partner will help Ranma calm down and focus on challenging this Kuno boy again, rather than feeling he failed you."

"He didn't fail me," Akane automatically defended.

"In his mind he did," Nodoka said. "In one respect, the timing of this event may be a blessing in disguise. I'm afraid that the engagement meetings, for both you and that for my son, will be occurring in two weeks. For appearances sake, I couldn't have you staying with Ranma and myself at that time, so this will allow you to settle back in here at home."

"But I still get a choice? Right?"

"You will be given the choice, Akane. I will be in attendance to make sure you may back out if you so desire," Nodoka said, letting the young woman calm before continuing. "I would ask, Akane, that you do not make that choice against your father's promise, simply because you don't like being forced into this."

Akane seemed about to speak, then held her tongue, nodding for the older woman. Her head tilted as a new thought occurred. "What about Ranma's other fiancée? Aren't you going to meet her with him?"

"That will be after your meeting, later in the day."

"Oh."

"Now I think I will have a word with your father, and take my husband back home."

Akane sat up, "Maybe I should come too, just to pick up my stuff?"

Nodoka smiled gently, but shook her head. "Perhaps when I know Ranma will be there would be the best time to use such an excuse?" She chose not to add, 'And absence makes the heart grow fonder.'

* * *

"The boy lost a fight with a stick fighter?" Genma scoffed, having finally convinced his wife to tell him what had changed. With Akane back at the Tendo Dojo, she was dragging her husband home. Even he was smart enough to know she didn't think enough of him to not blow the engagement secret his wife was maintaining, Genma was just glad to be allowed back in the house again in winter.

"He lost a fight, yes, not for the first time. And not for the first time against an opponent who is more than human alone." Nodoka eyed her husband over darkly. "Are you going to help him train for a rematch or simply mock him?"

"Can't I do both?"

Slapping the back of her husband's head, Nodoka faced ahead rather than the idiot she married. Fortunately for Genma, her eyes spotted the Saotome family home, concern growing over the large pile of logs out front.

Proceeding into her home, she removed her shoes for house slippers, and entered the main room, followed by Genma.

Open phonebooks were left on the table beside a half eaten beef-bowl and a telephone, Nodoka's eyes swept over the markings, pen circles around the number for the chestnut supplier Ranma had bought in gross from during his Amaguriken speed move training attempts. More worryingly, the advert for a company that rented butane torches circled in the next book beside it brought disturbing images.

A ki shout and crack of shattering logs in the back yard, caused the older woman to proceed out to the veranda to look at her son, sweating and shirtless despite the cold, the yard a mess of wood chips and log ends.

Breathing heavily, Ranma turned to his parents as they entered the scene of his training. "Ah, hey Mom. Akane's gone back to her…"

Nodoka held up her hand, cutting him off gently. "I heard what happened. Sunset comes early in winter dear, so train now and we can have a long talk over a big dinner."

Ranma resisted the urge to hug or thank his mother with more than a nod. Looking at his Pop, he waved the old man out, "You better be up for some hard work old man?"

"Like a little girl who lost to a weapon user can do hard training?"

Ignoring Genma's insulting words to return inside, Nodoka continued to ignore Genma calling for 'Time out' between cries of pain as Ranma vented.

Ranma's mother eyed the table again, hoping that Genma would keep Ranma's training reasonable, then wondered where she got that idea.

* * *

Looking around at the path she took to Furinkan high school, Akane frowned, feeling slightly surreal that it all felt different, yet was almost identical to what it was before she left, before staying with Ranma and Aunty. Squirming inelegantly in the blue school dress she wore, she scratched at another irritating itch, uncomfortable with the change despite having worn it regularly only months before. Still scratching, her eyes fell on the fences beside the road, calculating how she would walk on it, hearing his footsteps behind her.

Turning suddenly, she saw a young jogger passing lightly by, frowning at how the sound made her feel.

Again she walked down the lonely path, passing the shop that used to be Doctor Tofu's clinic, feeling another pang for a friend, two in fact with his sister Sena, missing them because of Tatewaki Kuno.

Like a spark of fire against the chill winter morning, his name quickened Akane's steps, building speed. Moving along the path beside the drainage canal, she broke into an outright run, cool wind whipping her short hair as she turned the last corner into sight of the school, and the collection of boys awaiting her.

The 'Hentai Horde', as it had become known, were a collection of the most stupid boys from Furinkan High, who had formed to attack her on her approach to school, for many mornings over the last year and a half. With a shiver, Akane recalled Tatewaki Kuno's proclamation from so long ago, that only a man who could defeat her had the right to date her.

Now with her return, the horde had reformed, no doubt her sister Nabiki, in her final year of high school, had been busy this morning spreading that tidbit. Thinking of her sister reminded her of how Nabiki had told her the hentai horde had kept assembling after she left Furinkan over this engagement debacle. Now if she could just recall what she said...

"There she is!"

"Akane! It's Akane Tendo!"

"Here she comes!"

Shouts from the boys started to merge into a mess of noise as they rushed the gate like a bottle neck, while the heir of the Tendo School of Anything Goes approached, her arm cocking back, Akane's legs pounding the ground with familiar steps, her rage flaring as she just imagined Ranma berating her running stance being heavy, not light and ready to evade…

Suddenly the horde stopped still, and as one cried out:

"Akane Tendo, I challenge you!"

The change from just attacking her to challenging her put Akane on alert, pulling her up, wary for what this change meant, before the boys started fighting themselves while trying to run away from her.

Stopping completely, Akane looked confused as the boys rushed away towards the newest building of Furinkan high. Built only six months ago, the domed arena had been paid for from winnings from high-level televised Kendo battles Tatewaki Kuno had taken part in. Called, unoriginally enough, "Blue Thunder Dome" by its commissioner, it had been a challenge site for only three challenges who came seeking battle with the magically empowered fighter in the last year.

A large neon sign on the outside of the dome, in the shape of a blue lightning bolt, flicked off as a chant began from various parts of Akane's old school.

"Love Dome! Love Dome! Love Dome!"

A purple neon sign lit up in its place, the same purple as from Love Hotel signage, proclaiming 'Love Dome' in tacky kanji.

A gleeful Nabiki was waving to Akane from one entrance of the dome, lit by a smaller purple neon sign, a heart shape with a plus like cross under it, a romantic take on the classic female gender symbol. The boys were lining up to another entrance under a second purple heart, with an arrow pointing up from its right side.

"Nabiki, what have you done?" Akane whispered to herself, and approached her sister scared of what this was going to be.

* * *

Nabiki was grinning ear to ear as she dragged her sister through the 'women's' entrance, and straight for the center of the arena.

"Nabiki, what is all this?"

"I knew I had to see your face. Isn't it brilliant?"

"Nabiki, what is going on?"

"Okay, I told you how after you left, some of the boys from the horde asked Chika Dainiito, of the girl's karate club, if they beat her would she date them? Well for a joke, I wrote up some rules, and it just took off."

"What took off?"

"Well at first I called it 'Date Club', like 'Fight Club', you know? Anyway a guy challenges a girl to fight or date them. Formal challenge, one on one, knockout, pin, or out of the ring. Very basic stuff, " Nabiki said quickly, still moving her sister up to the ring area as several students piled into the bleacher like seating around the walls inside the domed structure. "If the girl likes the guy, she just surrenders. If she doesn't, she can call in a champion, a big friend, or I have a few guys from the Karate and Kendo clubs available for a fee, to fight and win for them. It's taken off like you wouldn't believe!"

Akane didn't believe. "You can't tell me people are agreeing to this? It's insane!"

"Think about it Sis, you know how most of the horde would rather be beaten up in a chance to date you, than actually man up and ask you out and risk being turned down? Turns out most schoolboys are like that! If the girl surrenders, they have one date that weekend. If not, they can at least try to win, and being beaten up for love is better than being turned down outright to these idiots."

Akane swayed, trying to come to grips with the surreal changes to what was her understanding of her high school, then focused on one part of the issue. "Wait, I got to take on all those boys one at a time? That'll take hours."

Nabiki smiled, completely at ease. "Hence why right now, the boys that challenged you are putting their name on a register, which gets called out to fight as time becomes available. We can probably get two more this morning, a few at lunch, and some after school. Any more can wait till tomorrow. You better work fast, and be done by Saturday. Last Saturday, some of the girls from St Heberek showed up looking to get challenged, and some boys from Kolkhoz High, I was here from getting out at lunch till nearly three and I hear word is spreading even further!"

Giving a huff, Akane shook her head, trying to get through to her sister. "Sis, these guys were out there every day, I'll never be done with them if I can't finish them all in one day."

"Sis, chill, you can only ever fail in a challenge against the same opponent twice a semester, and I doubt any but the most desperate will try a second time anyway."

"Huh? Why not?"

Flicking a lazy finger towards the other side of the dome topped building, Nabiki caught the eye of a student standing beside a sheet-covered object, who helpfully uncovered it. A gleaming barbers chair, polished to a shine under a down light, was bolted to the floor, and more sinisterly, leather arm, neck, and leg straps sat open, ready for its next victim. On the back of the chair, was an emblem of a pineapple.

"How do you think I got the school to approve this? Firstly, Mrs. Hinako gets to crack down on all fighting on school grounds outside this arena as delinquents, and then, anyone who fails a second challenge, falls to the mercy of Principal Kuno."

Akane found it strangely grounding, that this fiasco could occur under permission of her home room teacher, the erratic discipline enforcer of the school, and Principal Kuno, Tatewaki's insane Hawaiian loving father who had a hair cutting fetish. She turned fully from the ring to look at her sister.

"So how did you get Kuno to let you use his arena?"

"Yeah, about that," Nabiki said reluctantly. "He gets to queue jump."

A shiver ran up Akane's spine as a masculine voice intruded.

"Ah my beloved, we finally fight, once more for love."

* * *

Turning herself slowly around, Akane eyed Tatewaki Kuno. The young man, in his traditional uniform of hakima pants and white kimono jacket, casually held a box in his off hand, his ever present practice sword in the other, his head twisted to the side, hair arranged neatly, he posed for her.

"Upperclassmen Kuno, you know I'm actually glad to see you," Akane said lightly. Those students watching, far less oblivious than the Kendo master, took her body language, and cracking knuckles as her fists clenched, as signs that Akane wasn't planning to surrender to Kuno.

"Long have I waited for this moment, my chosen. Here in my glorious arena of love. I shall prove how I am worthy of your love and you worthy of being at the side of one so skilled."

"What's that?" Akane asked, cutting off the brown haired young man before he could continue, pointing at the white box he held lightly on his palm.

Kuno blushed lightly, looking at Akane. "Tis but a trifle, for you see while I have no doubt of your purity, the tricks and cunning of the vile Saotome, though diminished with my victory, you can see that such a gift as this is for the best."

Shaking her head at his enigmatic words, Akane stepped up and tried to take the box from his hands, only to be blocked by his wooden blade.

"Nay, but this is for opening only in private, you shall have this with your defeat, and wear it always as part of my victory, at least till our glorious date this Saturday?"

Tilting her head to the side, pouting cutely while looking in his eyes, Akane lay a gentle hand on his weapon. Forcing her ki down her arm to his weapon, she struck suddenly, fist around the wood lashing up into Kuno's face.

Taking the box as he staggered back, Akane ripped it open. Grabbing part of the heavy material within, she let the box fall away, regretting it instantly. Like a pair of white leather panties, shining metal plates and cord threads gleamed under the downlights, even the most oblivious identifying the chastity belt.

Akane's battle aura flared with her rage as she lashed out at the swordsman, Kuno blocking three kicks before slashing back to try and knock his opponent out of the ring.

Unfortunately his desire to beat her was blocked for an instant when Akane put his present in the path of his attack. That moment was all she needed, slipping the material down his blade and using it to disarm his weapon.

A leg sweep tumbled him onto his back disorientated, his broken weapon tossed out of the ring area. Focusing, he moved to stand, his body pulling up fast, too fast he realized as his eyes crossed, as Akane 'helped' him up. "My love?" he squeaked.

Turning him back to her, Akane locked the chastity belt on him, ignoring his high pitched cry as the item prepared for her waist and gender was put on his larger body. Grabbing the sides, Akane looked into his brown eyes.

"Ranma is my friend!" She stated, punctuating her statement by yanking it up to wedge it higher.

"We have not done anything dishonorable!" Another yank and another squeak.

"If we had, it would be none of your business!" With this yank he started to cry.

"You are a pervert and can keep your gift!"

This time she rolled back, pulling him up and over by the already wedged chastity belt, her foot coming up to push his stomach up and launch him over her and out of the ring.

A nervous student senior girl, wearing a black and white armband looked at Nabiki for a moment, who nodded amused. Banging a small desk gong, she called out, "Akane Tendo wins, no date."

Akane glared at her sister, then turned her back on where Kuno landed to look at the zone where others from the horde had gathered to challenge her. It was crowded with pale boys backing up, legs together, hands over the front of their pants.

"Who's next?"

At Akane's furious voice, the challengers fled, and even the male students just watching from the seating tried to look casual, legs crossed, avoiding eye contact.

Outside, the first of the boys to register their challenges rushed for classrooms, desperately hoping Akane would be calmer come recess. Or lunch. Or after school. Maybe it would be best to hold off on their challenge till tomorrow.

* * *

Nabiki helped the school nurse carry her fellow student and push him onto one of the beds in the nurse's office. It took another few minutes to rummage through his pockets looking for the key, before finding it on a thin silver chain around his neck.

With a click, Kuno gave a long whimpering sigh, as the nurse helped get the apparel down his legs.

With an equally suffering sigh, the Nurse put the belt on a side table and gave Nabiki a firm look, "I'm afraid you'll have to bill Tatewaki-kun later, I don't expect such but I'll need to give him an examination for major damage."

"Of course Nurse, have fun."

Ignoring the evil eye the nurse gave her, Nabiki grinned and left. The door clicked shut behind her before the nurse realized that the chastity belt and key were gone.

* * *

Face dripping with sweat, Ranma pushed off his back to flip back to his feet, hands starting to gather up training shuriken, Frisbees, and throwing spatulas.

"Again. That was good, but you gotta throw em harder."

Junko wilted, breathing hard, her face dripping with sweat, her gi top soaked through. Konatsu passed her a plastic water bottle, most of the ninja's makeup had sweated off, though in his traditional kunoichi garb, he still appeared feminine. Ukyo, sweating and breathing almost as hard as Junko, shook her head.

"No Ranchan honey. That is it today, its nearly four o'clock and we have to reopen before the dinner rush."

Ranma shook his head, angry, not with his friends, but with himself. They couldn't match Kuno's style of attack and though it was good training, this wasn't inspiring on how to beat the wannabe samurai.

"Go then, just leave me Konatsu for another round, he's the only one pushing me anyway."

"Aw, Ranchan!" Junko complained at his words, Ukyo's angry glare showing she was hurt even more.

Ignoring their looks, and Koantsu's cute blush at the offhand compliment, Ranma shook his head. "Hey it ain't my fault this guy is out of your skill range."

Before Ranma could dig himself deeper, a bicycle dropped nearby, a purple haired Amazon lunging for him. "Ranma back, Aiyah!"

Twisting more in perception of an attack than actual perception of Shampoo, Ranma moved to the side. Shampoo however was more than experienced in glomping her man, her lithe fingers latching onto his bare arms to draw herself to him. Unfortunately her man was rather too sweaty right now, her grip failing instantly.

"Oh, hey Shampoo," Ranma said to the undignified heap of girl picking herself up out of the dirt, her winter delivery dress torn in at least two places.

Shampoo glared first at the giggling Junko and Ukyo watching this embarrassment, then at her future husband. The glare fell into a bright smile as she stood up, "Shampoo so happy Airen come home. Missed Airen over weekend."

Her pretty head looked around the vacant lot they were using for training.

"Where pervert girl?"

Junko and Konatsu winced, seeing Ranma's face fall at the reminder, not just of his missing friend but of the challenge he lost that had them all out training. Ukyo tried to frown but was too unhappy with Ranma to be sympathetic over her joy of Akane not being around her fiancé. That Shampoo upset him just by asking the question didn't hurt her mood either.

"She had to go home, I challenged a jerk to leave her alone and he caught me off guard. Once I retrain I'll get him back."

Shampoo frowned, "Is to get back at fight, or get back Akane?"

Shaking his head, Ranma looked at the ground, "Akane would have been going back to her place this week anyway. She's got her own engagement to deal with."

Seeing Ukyo and Shampoo grin didn't improve Ranma's mood, but Shampoo seized on his bad mood as an opportunity to make him happy. "Ranma cheer up, take Shampoo to date?"

Ukyo was beginning to growl, but it was actually Junko who lashed out first. "What about Gendo, Shampoo? I thought you were dating him?"

"What silly girl talk of? Shampoo only date Ranma. Shampoo let stupid boy think he have chance, to show little girl body get no mens better than Shampoo can get."

Konatsu frowned cutely, recalling Junko's negative mood yesterday after having to dump yet another boyfriend. Once again the exotic Amazon beauty had turned their eyes from Junko just for the hint of a date with the older, bustier, girl. At least Gendo wasn't a big loss, he was rather rude and obnoxious. Konatsu rather thought Junko should try and find a nice, loyal boyfriend, cute but not super attractive, like the boys in the manga he read…

To the side, Ukyo smirked darkly, glad to have been bored by Junko's last breakup story was now of value. "Really Shampoo, Ranma's mother will be so happy to know how you like to hit on other guys. Such a good trait in a wife."

With a casual shrug, Shampoo shook her head, unconcerned, "Shampoo no play with little boys, Shampoo body waiting only for husband. Mother know this. Mother know Shampoo best wife for son, 'Angel in kitchen, bore in bedroom'."

Shampoo had the sudden feeling she didn't say that quote right as her rival and the annoying Japanese girl both fell over laughing loudly, while even Ranma turned away to hide his laughter.

"Why laugh at Shampoo?"

* * *

"Only instead of whore, Shampoo said bore," Ranma stated between bites of dinner.

Nodoka laughed lightly at Shampoo's blunder, genuinely glad to see her son picked up after two days of moping and all out training. Not that she would have been too impressed with Shampoo using it properly anyway. She was about to comment when the ringing phone interrupted dinner.

Moving with quiet grace, she picked up the receiver. "Moshi moshi. Oh Akane-chan, it's great to hear from you. Yes, my son is right here…"

Turning around, Nodoka saw her son's place at the table was empty, her husband trying to gobble up his abandoned dinner. With a sigh, she spoke back into the phone. "I'm sorry Akane-chan, my son has his father's bad habits on choosing when to train. He does miss you."

* * *

Nodding her head, disappointed at being avoided by her moronic friend again, Akane said her goodbyes and hung up.

"He avoided you again?"

Nodding slowly at her older sister's question, Akane turned to Kasumi. "It's just so stupid."

Kasumi smiled lightly, "Yes, it is. And it nearly cost me Tofu, it would have if you hadn't run off to Aunty and Ranma, and met Sena through them. Men are very silly when they feel like they failed us or ruined how we see them."

"But he didn't fail me, Kuno is just really strong."

"He did in his eyes. Give him time to calm down and then you can go and show him you are glad he tried."

Giving her baby sister a hug, Kasumi patted her back, "Maybe you can go and visit him this weekend and clear things up, after all it would be best for both of you to be friends again before the weekend after."

The reminder of the upcoming engagement to some stranger stiffened Akane, but she slowly nodded. "Maybe."

* * *

"Hey again Hibiki. Long time no see."

The umbrella holding figure, walking alone along the road on a rainy Wednesday morning, looked up at the pair of teens, also under umbrellas in the rain. The shorter, Toko, was as small and rat faced as he recalled, but the taller Jiro beside him made him frown.

"What do you want Ohata?" he growled, still not happy with how this manipulative weakling who left him embarrassed as the loser on national TV chased off by one of Ranma's women and the love of his life. "You got a reason I shouldn't beat the hell out of you?"

Frowning at the anger of the volatile martial artist, wondering if this was not going to be worth the effort. Jiro considered his options, and decided things were so unbalanced that he'd find some use to this ignorant powder keg. "I gave you the opportunity to win, if you were as good as you claimed, Ranma wouldn't have won that tournament."

Toko leaned out in the rain away from Jiro, ready to run if his harsh words started the other boy to charge in. Fortunately the brown haired upperclassman wasn't done yet.

"Kuonji."

"What?" Ryoga growled.

"Saotome has asked for his school transcripts. He is moving to some other school for an indeterminate time, but at least a month, week after next," Jiro said cryptically. "Now I don't care about Ukyo Kuonji, but I do care that out of the three girls Saotome is engaged to, he dislikes the other two way more than her."

"Get to the point."

Jiro grinned at the eternally lost boy, "Out of thanks for trying to win the tournament, and out of a desire to make Ranma suffer, I'll put you up in Toko's garage again, and when Ranma is out of Bokuto, I'll help you to win Kuonji's heart from that freak."

Ryoga Hibiki sneered a smile and slowly nodded.

Already suppressing annoyance at Jiro making this guy his responsibility, again, Toko wondered how much of his time and effort this would take to keep him again, "Hey, what about the other one?"

"I haven't seen him since the tournament," Ryoga snapped, glaring at the other boy reminding him of his other curse.

Jiro shrugged, "If we find him, we'll reunite him, if not, we only need the one of you for Ukyo to fall in love with."

* * *

Looking up at the clearing rain of the Wednesday morning, Ryoga Hibiki scratched an itch through the dusty yellow shirt he wore. It was a cool morning, but he had suffered worse. Hopefully he would find his home soon and he could get some winter clothes.

A sudden shiver down his spine had nothing to do with the cold, and everything to do with the voice behind him.

"Hotcha. What good fortune to run into my favorite student."

Turning, Ryoga faced onto the diminutive form of Happosai, lounging on a fence, puffing his pipe. "Maybe for you, you old pervert. You taught me a few tricks but you aren't my Master."

"That was always your problem Hibiki, you focus on minor details at the cost of the truth. Hence why you'll always be about twelfth of my students."

Despite not wanting to be his student, Ryoga growled at being rated so lowly.

"You want to prove me wrong? My best student, who's even beaten Ranma, is king of the local arena. If you want to prove your worth..."

"You're on."

"Great, just tell them you're there to challenge Tendo."

"Huh, where?"

Rather than give directions, it was much easier for the decrepit old man to bound down on the fanged boy, hooked him with his smoking pipe, and launched him over the wall and into Furinkan high.

* * *

Huffing, Akane waited for the next freshman boy, two years her junior, to walk into the 'love dome' ring, another who had brought the chosen weapon of a bouquet of roses and heart shaped box of chocolates in the hopes she would surrender and date him.

"Next challenge," the bored student doing announcements for the ring began as her next challenger stepped over the ring circle edge. "Souta Niiroshatsu against…"

Akane pushed her opponents chest, making him stumble back out the ring.

#gong#

"Winner Akane Tendo, no date."

Where most of the challenges had been equally resigned to defeat, some occasionally putting up a fight, the next opponent nearly darted out of the shadows.

"Me, I'm next," the thin figure wheezed.

"Hikaru?" Akane asked, recognizing the small boy, Hikaru Gosunkugi, from her class, with the black rings under his eyes.

"She spoke to me!" he cried, turning away and for a second at her words. He had been doing this for as long as she knew him. With a shift, he suddenly turned back, still not yet in the ring, holding out a cardboard photo collage. "Ah, this is for you Akane."

Akane looked at the home made present, not the first she had been offered, but under the title of 'Memorable Moments of Akane Tendo' it documented some of the biggest moments of the last year and a half.

In the top left was a picture of her in her Juliet costume, reminding her of when they tried to do the balcony scene from the Shakespearean epic. Only after Kuno took out the rival Romeos, Akane had to drop her desired outfit and role of the beautiful Juliet to take the role of Romeo herself. Hikaru, not for the first time cross-dressing, put on her discarded dress, and chloroformed the understudy Juliet to take her place. The kiss with Romeo and Juliet won the drama club the prize to meet Chinese actor China Lii, the foreigner guest judge impressed that Kuno had kissed Hikaru, attributed to authenticity since Shakespeare plays originally had boys in the female roles…

Shaking off that memory, Akane smiled slightly at a picture of her victorious after winning the ice skating match against Azusa and Mikado in that frilly leotard. And another of her high kicking a boy from the hentai horde beside one of an identical kick to Kuno's head. Further down the page, she was photographed in her cheerleading outfit kicking the ditzy Mariko. Then some of her in her swimsuit, when she tried to learn under Principal Kuno, then later again under the equally inept Hinako Ninomiya, or the King Jellyfish suit, the suit she wore at Watermelon Island, and the bikini from when the class got Hawaiian Honeymoon Fever. He even had a photo in that ridiculous bikini from the Oni incident and one of her in the iron corset while learning the La Bell France school of martial arts dining.

Jubilant at the smile on her face at the beginning, Hikaru's horror grew as her lips fell, down past neutral, her face turning red and displeased.

"Hikaru-san, is this how you think of me?"

"Please Akane-san, you have to surrender to me…"

"Stop," called the delegated referee from her judge's desk and gong. "Hikaru, Miss Kaori Kumayama, St Hebereke freshmen, has registered you as her boyfriend. And here is your signature. You can't challenge others without her permission."

Whimpering, Hikaru looked pleadingly at Akane, "Please, you have to challenge me? I give you permission. She's much bigger than me! She forces me to meet her after school, and made me meet her parents!"

"And you thought photos of me half dressed would make me want to date you myself?"

His falling face said he got the point, but she hammered it home by tearing his gift in half, knowing she'd have to burn the photos later. Watching the weedy boy run off, Akane noticed the remainder of the boys today step back as she vented on the perverted gift, making her smile darkly, hoping they would get the point and she wouldn't have to fight anymore. She suddenly realized something Gosunkugi had said. "Why did Hikaru give me permission to challenge him? I didn't give these idiots permission?"

Looking awkward, the senior girl with the referee's armband uncomfortably winced. "As per the rules of Love Dome, anyone who has a date arranged or are part of a registered couple, must give permission to be challenged again for a date that weekend."

"What? Why wasn't I told this?" The moment Akane made the demand, she knew the answer. "Thanks Sis," she mumbled.

As she turned to the boys remaining, she realized that it wasn't that big an issue really, not one of the boys who challenged her would she want to date, let alone surrender to. For an instant she imagined Ranma walk into the door, but shook it off quickly. "Who's next?" she demanded angrily at the assembled challengers who apparently had other things to do right now.

"I AM!"

* * *

The thunderous voice startled everyone, including Akane with its intensity. She calmed herself as a dusty figure strode directly into the arena building and the circle ring.

"I'm here to fight Tendo, the champion of this ring?" he stated, ignoring Akane, looking around for this Tendo guy as he dumped his pack on the ground, hefting his umbrella.

Behind the judge's desk, the referee regained her composure enough to call out. "Ah, who are you?"

"His name is Ryoga Hibiki," Akane stated first, eyeing the big young man, dirty and rough from his constant travels.

Suddenly nervous, Ryoga looked at Akane more carefully, sensing some vaguely familiar about her. "Ah, do I know you Miss?"

Less impressed, Akane took a strong stance. "Remember that Juban tournament, I won the women's division?"

"Oh, you beat Ukyo-chan?" he asked, his eyes dropping to her chest, recalling how that fight went, hormones catching up as he turned red, quickly facing away.

Frowning, Akane resisted using the remains of Gosunkugi collage to cover her chest. "Yes I did, and Shampoo, and Sakura Shishimi. My name is Akane Tendo."

"Ooh, he was the boy in final fight, the one who became two, the one with the muscles." The whispers started from a couple of the girls, quickly coming closer to the ring, and they weren't the only ones. Akane recognized most of them, these girls were not her friends, they were the more boy crazy girls of the school. Girls who had hated her because the horde chased her. Akane suddenly imagined them as a pack of drooling dogs eyeing up a fresh piece of meat.

Ryoga, red faced at the whispered reminder of that embarrassing moment, he at least knew whose fault this was. "So you're another of Ranma's girls."

"Excuse me? I am not Ranma's anything. I belong to me and no one else." Akane snapped back, "You on the other hand are a perverted pig."

Growling in humiliation, Ryoga began to see red. "Ranma told…"

"Actually, Aunty Nodoka had a story, Ukyo had a story, and even Sakura has a story to tell about you. Ranma is the only one to actually defend you as not being a pervert."

"Really?" he asked cautiously, wondering what kind of trick Ranma was up to doing that.

"Then again," Akane pointed out taking a ready stance, tossing the garbage from her hands at his feet, not seeing one photo flick free and onto his pack. "You are here wanting to beat me up so I'll date you?"

"Wha? No! Huh? I mean, you're nice? But me and Ukyo… I mean, that is, I don't fight girls, or force dates, or …" The jumble of words from the red faced boy came off rather cute to the assembled girls. Becoming aware that there were a lot of girls around the ring, Ryoga composed himself as best as possible, trying to stammer out an explanation.

"See, Ha, er, my master," he began with a wince. But it was better than admitting to even knowing Happosai. That tended to get you hit below the belt. "He said that some undefeated guy was in here, so I just wanted to see if I was better? Not attack girls and not to force girls on dates."

Ignoring his rather cute awkwardness, the only thing disarming her anger at his past and her mood, her anger began to spill to the girls around them. Behind Ryoga, at the edge of the fighting area, more girls waited with eyes on this new young man, tension building till it finally broke.

"Hi Ryoga-kun," a pretty young woman with hungry eyes said to him. "My name is Toki Teikuhamu, I challenge you!"

Immediately things irrupted, as the girls began fighting far more viciously than the boys did, crying challenges, reasons why other couldn't challenge, shouting offers for the boy to hold out for this girl or that, and all desperate to get into official order of who would get to challenge this hunk first.

Ryoga Hibiki did the only thing he could at such a situation of strange girls fighting and yelling things he didn't understand. "Help?"

Shaking her head in amusement, Akane pointed a finger into his face, "Fine, but you owe me. I surrender."

If looks could kill, Akane would have been vaporized, as all the girls froze to glare at her.

Taking a step back from the epicenter of such focused hate, Ryoga swallowed nervously, "What does that mean?"

"It means that you have to take me on a date on Friday," she said concentrating on not blushing suddenly, "and till next week, your don't have to accept challenges from all these girls."

Whatever his reply to this, Ryoga was drowned out.

"NO!"

* * *

"NO!"

The thunderous cry made Nabiki Tendo yank the headphones from her head with a wince, regretting not expecting that as she watched the proceedings in the AV department recording studio. It was hooked up to the arena cameras Kuno had installed when the dome was constructed.

With an amused smirk, she turned from the view screens to the diminutive little man smoking the pipe in the chair beside her. "You were right Grandfather, thanks for the tip. Akane Tendo surrenders to mysterious stranger after four days of fighting. So who is he?"

The aged master shrugged, not looking from a screen showing some of the gymnastics club working out in the gym. "No one important. Think of him as a backup boyfriend for Akane when she realizes that her secret fiancé is gay."

"From what I hear, gay fiancé and this guy have history. You aren't rocking my sister's boat are you? I thought Aunty cut a deal with you to butt out?"

Turning in the chair, his big eyes looked into hers with innocence and caring. "This is just to let Akane know there are more than three men in the world. I'd hate for her to settle into a doomed marriage because she didn't open her eyes. It's for her own good."

"Bull."

"A last fling of single life before she's engaged to a punk kid with bigger funbags than her?"

"Come on, you can tell me. Communication is key to a good business relationship Grandfather."

His attention waved back to a girl on the screen on the trampoline, going up and down, up and down.

"Fine," he said distracted, "When Ranma finds out about them dating, he'll pass a brick. Let Akane see him when he isn't her gay best friend but another jealous punk. If she still loves him after that, then this marriage has half a chance."

"Better," Nabiki said, knowing it wasn't all of the old mans plan, but fishing for more would risk some fun ideas of her own. Her musings were interrupted by the old mans sleazy voice again.

"Nabiki-chan, are there cameras in the girls change rooms?"

With her pen, Nabiki tapped the sign above the camera selection switches.

'There are no cameras mounted in the girls change rooms or showers. Please stop asking.'

* * *

By lunch on Wednesday, the sun was shining bright over the Furinkan high grounds, most of the students out in it enjoying lunch. Only a few were indoors, most in the Love Dome which was still catching up on fights.

Inside her classroom, Akane worked at her English project, using Yuka's notes to complete the assignment to catch up to the class. It wasn't that she was that far behind the curriculum with her time at Bokuto high, but Mrs Onshioban was being firm about missed assignments.

"I forbid it!"

Wincing at the voice, Akane closed her folder and stood with a resigned sigh, straightening her skirt before the door burst in.

Kuno would have liked to stride in, but it was more the swagger of a cowboy after a week in the saddle, his bow legged movement sideways through the door into the room. Much more elegantly, Akane's brown haired sister Nabiki sashayed in behind him.

"Tell her," Kuno commanded at Akane, gesturing her at Nabiki."

"Tell her what?" Akane replied with equal rudeness.

"That you wish for me to defeat this upstart whom entrapped you."

The confused look that Akane gave her made Nabiki roll her eyes. "Pursuant to the rules of Love Dome, should a date be arranged, the losing party may give permission for a single third party to challenge the result by fighting the victor. The victor of that match will date the original loser."

Digesting that, Akane frowned, "So I can ask Kuno to fight Ryoga and if he wins I have to go out with Kuno instead?"

"There," the brown haired Kendoist stated, "She has stated such, bring forth…"

"Wait Kuno-Baby," Nabiki said with a smirk, "I think my baby sister was just clarifying her option here."

"That's right, I do not give permission for anyone to interfere with that challenge. I am going on that date Friday."

"Nay, I forbid it."

Akane opened her mouth to tell Kuno where to stick his forbiddance, but something stopped her. "Nabiki, I forgot to ask. Can I borrow your cherry lip gloss for the date?"

Nabiki didn't get the chance to say one way or another before her little sister turned to glare at the senior boy.

"Ryoga loves the taste of cherry."

A flabbergasted Kuno made several sounds, none of which articulating into words, before storming off out of the room. Nabiki just looked at her sister, wondering how much that loud-mouthed son of Aunty had influenced her.

* * *

"Ranma, be a dear and get that for me will you?"

Nodoka kept her hands busy washing the dishes after dinner, frowning as the phone kept ringing. With a sigh, she dried her hands and reached for the handset.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Aunty, its Akane. Is he there?"

"I'm sorry dear. If nothing else, he is fast. He probably got out of the house with the first ring. We'll get him to talk to you yet."

* * *

#Clang#

With a blush, Ryoga Hibiki looked around the area, ashamed at having walked into the metal telephone pole, crumpling the picture in his hand to hide it as a few people looked warily at the dusty wanderer. Ignoring the dented pole, he moved on quickly down the road before again opening his hand, using his other palm to smooth the photo out again, swallowing as he looked at the girl in the tiger print bikini he found in his pack.

"No, I won't betray Ukyo," the boy in the spotted bandana mumbled to himself, crumpling the photo yet again, reaching to put in a trash bin, only for his hand not to release it.

"It was a date made in an honorable challenge," the fanged boy mumbled to himself, unrolling its crumpled image as he walked on.

As the sky darkened with the coming night, Ryoga looked up, realizing he'd have to find a clear space to make camp. He found himself no longer on the sidewalk but in a backyard he recognized, that of the ramen restaurant fronted home of the Chinese Amazons in Japan, the Cat Café.

A sudden shiver down his spine had nothing to do with the cold, and everything to do with the voice behind him.

"Well well, Ryoga Hibiki, you look troubled?"

Turning around to the wrinkled old crone, Cologne, who sat perched on her staff looking at him with her big eyes.

"Ah, hey," he stuttered quickly, only to realize she was looking at the photo in his hand, quickly hiding it behind his back.

"Winter is setting in," the white haired old woman said cryptically, still looking at him.

Finally with a sneer, she gestured to the door inside she had come out from. "I make it policy not to let my students wander hungry in winter. Inside with you," she ordered, like it was a burden to take care of him.

* * *

Having closed the door on the last of the departing customers, Cologne hopped past the still eating Ryoga, back into the kitchen. There she eyed the pair of young adults cleaning up after the dinner rush. "Mousse, prepare a futon in your room. Ryoga will be staying the night."

"Why does he have to stay in my room?" Mousse complained. "Just let him turn into a pig and stay in the cage if you want him kept, you old mummy."

Cracking the insolent boy on the head with her staff, Cologne waited for him to look up with his glasses on to lock his gaze with hers. "Because the only cage we have is a bird cage. Will anybody be staying in it tonight?"

Grumbling, the dark haired Chinese teen stepped around the old woman and went upstairs.

"Great Grandmother, why we keep piggy boy anyway? Why you talks with him?"

"Great Granddaughter, which of us will be punished should you fail to bring your airen back to the village next year?"

Swallowing nervously, Shampoo looked at her feet, "That not happen. I won't give him up. Mother Nodoka hate Ukyo and Sakura more than bossy over us."

"That could well happen. Your airen's mother may smile for us, but the same empty smile shines on your rivals. In that boy out there, I feel an opportunity to aid your chances."

Letting the young woman look up pleased, she waited to see if her descendant might surprise her, but the shining eyes before her were as vacant of thought as ever.

"This plan would require a subtle hand. Do you think you are ready to use subtlety?"

"Of course, Great Grandmother. Shampoo can do anything to win."

Internally groaning, Cologne tried to hold hope that intelligence hadn't skipped a generation.

"Do you remember when I told you to encourage Ryoga in his pursuit of the Kuonji girl? Do you recall why?"

Nodding happily, Shampoo stood straight, "Because irritate spatula girl."

Wincing, Cologne just kept looking at her great grand daughter, "And?"

"Oh," Shampoo added, "Something about… Mother Nodoka?"

Sighing, Cologne kept her temper in check. "Because Nodoka-san hates the boy, so we can use the Xi Fa Xiang Goa and Formula 411 shampoo to offer to make the boy forget the Kuonji and the Saotomes'. In doing so, we shall earn further consideration and appeal in the final decision."

"Aiyah, Shampoo remember now."

"It appears, that that Ryoga out there has been tricked by Happosai somehow into a date with Akane Tendo."

"Pervert girl?" Shampoo asked, before her eyes snapped wide. "Aiyah, Airen say Pervert Girl go home for engagement! Old pervert engage to pig!"

Cologne frowned, quickly reviewing Ryoga's words. "Possible but that isn't the impression I got," she stated slowly, before shrugging as she considered Happosai and Nodoka's conflicts in the past, smiling as a recollection of the Saotome matriarch beating the old man up some months before.

Suppressing the distracting recollection, Cologne returned to the moment, focusing on Shampoo. "Regardless, that boy out there is torn between his obsession with Kuonji and taking this date with a pretty girl."

Peering directly into her great granddaughters eyes, cologne spoke slowly, "Do you see any opportunity in this?"

"Yes Great Grandmother, is perfect. Piggy get pervert girl pregnant, his man balls drop to make move on Ukyo. Leave Airen to Shampoo!"

With deliberate actions, Cologne hopped on the counter, slowly taking grip on her staff before hitting her descendant on the head. "Idiot girl, think before you talk."

"Shampoo sorry…"

"Sorry doesn't land you your husband. Try again."

"Ryoga fall love Pervert girl?"

"Yes. Go on," the old woman encouraged.

"Upset Airen?"

"More importantly, how will Nodoka-san and Kuonji react?"

"Mother Nodoka hate, Spatula girl love."

"Very good Great granddaughter. If Akane and Ryoga fall in love, Nodoka will hate it, and if Ukyo is told at the right time, and not before," she stressed those last words to show their importance. "Kuonji can further weaken her chances by cheering the boy she considers a pervert on the girl Nodoka helped raise."

Shampoo almost squealed with glee. "Shampoo go make passion spice for pig boy." Almost immediately her way was blocked by her ancestors walking stick.

"No passion spice Shampoo," Cologne stated firmly. "If Nodoka-san thinks we were involved in this in any way, we hurt only our… your chances."

"Then what Shampoo do?"

"This is where a gentle, subtle hand is needed. Use those involved naturally, not hit them with a blunt weapon."

The vacant expression on her bimbo descendant wasn't promising to Cologne. "Shampoo, Ryoga is a lonely boy, and attracted to this student of Happosai. The only thing holding him from falling in love with her is his memory of Kuonji."

Empty eyes blinked at her.

Her old shoulders drooped as the old woman gave up on inspiring the bimbo, reverting to instructions. "Tomorrow morning, as Ryoga leaves, use the formula 411 to erase the memory of Kuonji from him. As long as he isn't strongly reminded of her or reunited with his spring twin before nature takes its course between him and Tendo, this can only work in our favor. Tell no one and don't talk to Ryoga of this date or relationship. Ignorance will be our protection from this backfiring on you."

Looking at the nodding girl before her, Cologne sighed hoping ignorance would help them for once in this endeavor.

* * *

Toko look bleary eyed at his mother, still in her nighty, cooking and fussing for their guest. Ryoga Hibiki, forced again to be taken into his home by his 'friend' upperclassman Jiro Ohata.

Fortunately it was only one of the Ryoga twins, unlike just before the Juban martial arts tournament when both had been staying here, the regularly angry young man broke a rare smile of his fanged teeth at Toko's mother, thanking her for the breakfast, ignorant of the older single mother's occasional flirting.

Eating quickly himself, Toko was painfully aware of the embarrassing flirting, desperately wishing, not for the first time, that his father hadn't run off with a merchant mariner. Finishing he quickly excused himself to get out of the house and get to school, away from his mother and the boy in the spotted bandana.

* * *

Ryoga looked around the glorious Thursday morning sunlit streets feeling refreshed and invigorated. His hand passed through his clean loose hair feeling upbeat and carefree. Not sure what he had been doing just a moment before, Ryoga looked down at his pack on the ground, beside his bandana and a photo.

Scooping up the fallen items, he looked at the picture of Akane Tendo in the tiger striped bikini for a long moment, perking up happily that he had a date with her tomorrow night. A real date with a real girl, not Ranma, and what's more a girl who surrendered onto this date despite his curse. Life was picking up.

He looked again at the picture, then at his spotted bandana, before opening his pack and rummaging to near the bottom. Down there, he found another bandana, this one printed like tiger stripes. If his date liked that pattern, she should prefer that.

Picking up his pack, he looked at the name of the restaurant and the time, six o'clock Friday, that he would meet Akane for this date. He smiled as he recalled her smile when she had suggested the cook your own Mongolian restaurant since he had no idea of what restaurants were in Nerima. Determined and ready, he set off on his new life.

Watching from the shadows of an ally, Shampoo smiled, slinking off with her bottle of formula 411.

* * *

Akane sat straight at the table in the Saotome family home, ready to confront her idiot friend who had been avoiding her for over half a week. Having put off visiting to collect the last of her belongings, a frustrated Nodoka asked the youngest Tendo girl to join them for dinner to finally confront her elusive son.

"Ranma, dinner time?"

Like a blur before the call from Nodoka stopped, the white gi wearing patriarch of the family took his seat at the head of the table, appearing suddenly and all but drooling as he eyed the kitchen doorway. With a start, his jaw shut, his head tilting as his glasses caught on the light above.

"Hello again," Genma said gruffly. "You looking for the boy?"

Once calming at his sudden appearance, Akane nodded. "He's been avoiding me because he lost a fight."

It was more words than the two had shared, despite having seen him on three separate occasions. She didn't mean to come off short with him, but part of Aunty blaming her husband for Ranma's behavior was rubbing off on her. Her brow furrowed as she considered that the first time she ever saw him was the day her father started up with her engagement.

"The boys training," he said gruffly. "The boy's only taking it hard because of you. He…"

"Genma!"

Akane started as Aunty shouted her husband's name, walking in from the kitchen with plates of food. The older woman gave the now silent man a withering glare, not that he looked at her. For a moment Akane thought he was ogling at his wife's figure, till she realized it was the plates of food she carried in.

Putting down the plates, Nodoka let Genma start to reach before slamming the plates down near Akane. "Where is our son?"

Shrugging, still eyeing the food, Genma was ignorant of how mad his wife was. "No-chan, the boy just up and said he had more training to do. He said I could eat his dinner."

Knelling down, Nodoka glared at her husband before he could help himself, further showing her negative mood by serving Akane before her husband.

"I'm sorry Akane-chan. It seems Ranma has eluded us again."

"It's okay,", Akane said, far more comfortable without the angry tension in the air. It was much more comfortable to not think about Ranma's father at all.

"But you came all this way and he has avoided facing you again. Most unmanly."

Genma swallowed his food nervously at that proclamation, but didn't raise his eyes lest he meet his wives.

"I had to come for the rest of my things for when you let me stay with you. Thank you again for letting me stay."

Nodoka looked kindly at the girl. "Akane-chan, I would do anything I thought best for your happiness. You know that, don't you?"

Blushing at the show of affection, Akane nodded.

Slurping from Genma eating interrupted the quiet moment, giving Akane an out of the focus on her.

"Aunty, can I ask you some more about Ryoga Hibiki?"

Akane expected the confused look with a hint of anger from the woman.

* * *

"Get up!"

His mother's voice started Ranma from sleep, her glare the same one she had had on him when he went to bed last night, after his impromptu night training session. He was right in guessing his mother cooking extra meant Akane was coming over. A dull ache in his heart missed her, but the brown eyes glaring at him in his imagination, he wanted to be ready to make up to them.

"I'm up, I'm up. Did I over sleep? Is Pop up and ready to train?"

Nodoka shook her head at her son's rather predictable reaction. "No, you have just enough time to wash, get in your uniform, have some breakfast, and get to school."

"Ah, Mom…"

"Yes dear, I know you've been skipping classes to do extra training," she said in a resigned voice, before taking hold of his shoulder and pulling him into a hug.

This is where Ranma expected her to say 'What am I going to do with you?', though he suddenly admitted to himself that she hadn't done it before. Normally like this, she had a plan.

"What's going to happen at school?"

"At school, you will study and get the assignments you have missed and the ones you will miss not attending the half day tomorrow."

"Huh?"

"Yes dear. When you get them, immediately after school, I will have your pack and camping gear ready for you to travel by train up to the mountains, where we all went camping and training. The one where Cologne taught Ryoga that breaking point move, promising to erase my memory of what he had done if he defeated you with it?"

"What, we all going training?" Ranma asked, hoping her anger with Ryoga wouldn't spill out more.

"Not we, I've had enough of your moping around. I arranged for a martial artist who has defeated this Kuno boy before to spare some time to train you. I assume you are ready to train hard and be ready for a rematch sooner?"

"Oh he…ck… ah, yes mother."

In a flash he was around her and out his door, only for his head to duck back into view. "Thanks mom."

Shaking her head and smiling, she began to clean up his room.

* * *

Nabiki grinned to herself as she put down her bag against her desk, unlocking the drawer on her desk, and putting her earnings inside. It amused her, the last minute challenges on Friday afternoon after school, she had been back almost two hours taking bets and pimping her champions out to girls challenged by the dregs of the remaining male student body who felt they had a chance when they were the only person asking.

She idly considered if she shouldn't have accepted and surrendered the two fools who challenged her for a date. But truthfully she preferred the feeling of power of ordering one of the boys from the kendo or karate clubs to shoo away such distractions from her, with prejudice.

The idle fantasy of facing Jiro Ohata in the ring, him sworn off fighting, the appeal of a battle of wits amusing her, feeling strange that she missed him since their date last month. She'd been so caught up in schoolwork and Love Dome she hadn't arranged a second meeting and he had been oddly quiet.

More immediately, she had to look up her sister. Walking out her door, closing it behind her, she made for Akane's, surprised at hearing how upbeat she was being about this date, especially after the rotten start to the week the returned student had had. The bets on how this date would go, the long odds on Kuno not interfering, and the secondary bets on if Akane would make the date keep going after putting the kendo master down were exceeding expectations.

Opening the door and walking in, Nabiki expected to find Akane selecting her outfit choices and panicking over makeup.

Instead the room was clean, made, and Akane free.

A hand on Nabiki's shoulder, startled her.

"Kasumi?"

"Oh Nabiki, are you looking for Akane? Didn't she tell you, she…"

* * *

A hand landed on Ranma's shoulder, startling him.

"Akane?" Ranma asked, shocked at the appearance of his friend, then blushing and looking down, feeling ashamed.

Akane's hand didn't hesitate to grab his chin and pull it up to face her. "Hey, idiot. We haven't got much light left to train in. Aunty said you knew a good campsite. After dark we can talk about what happened."

Releasing him she began to stride, hoping he would man up and follow.

"I'm sorry."

Akane froze at the dejected voice, turning to look at the young man, who had somehow become her best friend, knowing how much pain he felt.

"Ranma, when we make camp, I'm going to kick your ass."

The way his head snapped up let Akane lock onto his blue eyes, momentarily freezing as she forgot how beautiful they were. "Not for what you tried to do for me. For that I owe you. But telling Kuno those things to anger him… The jackass bought me a chastity belt!"

Suddenly Akane shrugged and charged, this payback wasn't going to wait.

With the hint of a smile, Ranma fled for the campsite with her just behind him.

* * *

In a darkened room, Kenji Morisato sat, sipping tea poured from a thermos. Since the tournament, he had put on a few pounds, but Mistress Shishimi had him watching her fiancé from a distance still.

Finally, as the sun sent lengthening shadows in the window, the homing device marker on the screen of his computer stopped, its co-ordinates on a wilderness area in the mountains.

Reaching for the phone, he dialed a quick number.

"It's Kenji, tell the Mistress, that Saotome is up on Yuukyou Mountain, co-ordinates…"

Reading off the exact location, Kenji wasn't surprised when he was ordered to sit and monitor it for further movement.

A bored yawn emerged, forcing open his mouth widely, only to rein it in, sitting up with a frown. One of the shadows in the window had vanished.

* * *

Akane swept the two wooden swords she wielded at her opponent, leaping her legs over his kick, his dark gi clad body going nearly flat to the ground, spinning like a figure skater to extend a leg under her guard.

Tipping the wood blades into the ground, Akane vaulted herself up from his reach extending up on her palms on the handles to flip herself up and over in her off white gi.

Continuing to spin, Ranma tried to knife his foot though the currently held wood blades.

Grimacing with the effort, Akane raised weapon he targeted, sending its tip for his body, his arm blocking in time kept him twisting his thigh onto the dull end without sacrificing his kick to the other blade she balanced on.

With a crack the end of the boken broke off, sending Akane toppling, trying to come down in a leg drop, he rolled sideways, her small arm locking on a bare bicep to keep him from opening ground.

Seeing Akane land hard into kneeling, Ranma twisted around to break her grip, glad his gi top was sleeveless, denying her a cloth grip, the two working so hard despite the cool twilight. He did break free of her strong little fingers, only to be caught off guard as she raced at him, still kneeling, that as he dived back from her, she managed to grab his foot, stopping his planned roll to his feet. Her grip had to be released as he braced on his hands to kick back at her with the other foot.

Both came to their feet, breath quickened, eyes bright.

"That little kneeling run? What is that? You nearly got me twice with that."

"Martial arts Tea Ceremony. Awkward, oddly brutal, but very polite style."

"Heh, your tea always was lethal."

"Ranma! You insult it before you try it!"

Charging at Ranma, Akane unfocused her eyes, a dangerous ploy but it hid what she planned by making her seem to be out of control.

Ranma side stepped to hook her on the way past, disappointed at her falling back into old habits, his hands reaching for her leading arm when she lashed out. Her eyes suddenly focused gave him too short a warning as she grabbed his arm, locking both hands on it as she sprung right, yanking him with her. Off balance Ranma found himself hefted in an Olympic hammer throw as she spun around and launched him into a tree. She leapt on his dazed form.

Ranma was still trying to find out what the hell had happened. Pulling his face out of the grass, he twisted to look up at Akane's straining face. His shoulder was screaming for release from her grip. For all his strength advantage she had him pinned. He knew in a real fight he could use at least one advanced move to knock her off, but he wouldn't cheat like that in sparring. This is what he got for not respecting his opponent. He knew he'd have to give in soon if he couldn't break free, but looking up, he suddenly recalled the first time she grappled him.

Akane too had worked it out, this time holding the hold, prepared to keep him till he gave out.

"I'm guessing that you ain't gonna fall for me calling you cute again?" he gasped out.

"Not this time, you've used your lines. I've got you this time."

He gave a short laugh, in part defiance, but definitely amused. "Damn I missed you this week."

Ranma had been planning to follow up with a real line about their grunting and Kuno, when Akane let him slip free an arm enough that he could swing at her unguarded head, forcing her to break the hold and roll free.

Both back to their feet, Akane eyed the strong young man. "I missed you too," she said quietly.

Whatever Ranma might have said was cut off by a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder, both spinning around and back to back, looking for Kuno or some other threat.

The first drop of rain hit Akane's cheek before she realized a storm had crept up on the intensely training pair. "Rain? It's a storm."

In a flash, Ranma was by his pack grabbing out the tent. "Quick, clear that spot of rocks and grab your pack."

* * *

Looking up at the ceiling of the four-man bubble tent, Akane closed her eyes to listen to the rain pour onto it. They had just gotten in and set up before the main rain started, Ranma even avoided going girl. "This is a nice tent," Akane said, kind of surprised at his shiny new camping gear. Most of his older items were rougher and well used, and he often griped about his cheap father.

"Yeah. Mom packed them or I probably would have brought my ratty old two-man tent that Pop can't fit in. Sakura had it delivered this week out of the blue for the one she destroyed nearly a year ago while trying to kill my girl form who she thought was sneaking into my tent. Getting it out of the blue has me worried, cause it ain't black and gold or related somehow to her. Mom figures she is trying to buy into good will after Mom gave her crap for inviting Kuno up last weekend."

His hand stopped on setting up the small gas grill he was setting up to heat water and cook some rice. "I'm sorry I couldn't beat Kuno."

Despite the rain, the heavy emotions in the tent made Akane feel like his whispered words were shouted over silence. "Ranma, thank you for trying. That meant more than anything else in this. Kuno, he considers me a prize. You challenged him for my freedom."

He glanced at her before shaking his head, looking down. "I could a beat him, I just got too cocky. You tried to warn me."

"Your right, I did. But I knew you were an idiot before you didn't listen," she quipped with a grin.

When he didn't look up, she still caught the hint of a grin at the side of his lips, and so kept on. "And I knew you were an idiot before you sulked and avoided me for a week."

"I don't sulk."

"Please, you've stopped cooking to have a sulk for losing a fight with a cheat who didn't earn any of his skills. He won the Wishbringer by random lot, and he used it to get his skills. You have nothing to be ashamed about." Letting his head come up, she held up a hand to stop him as she continued, "Now are you going to have a cry and let it out, or do I beat the sulk out of you."

His moth opened for the predictable rebuke, before he went back to setting up the little cooker. "Thanks Tomboy."

Lighting the cooker up, he opened the door flap to pull in a small pot from catching a little bit of rainwater, adding to it from a water bottle and setting it to boil for rice. He pushed a small-compartmentalized box over to Akane. "Mom packed some pickles and cold meat. You want ta get them out, and some sauces?"

Akane nodded quietly, letting him deal with his funk, feeling warmer for helping him deal with the pain he was putting on himself out of that indomitable pride. She frowned as she saw the compartments were specifically marked and prepared, Aunty's light laughter in her ear as she realized there was no customization she could do with them to liven them up, something Aunty still felt she wasn't ready for.

In a small plastic bag, she found a variety of satchel sauces. After meeting Genma, Akane kind of understood how Nodoka had become so spendthrift and efficient. "Do you think wasabi and tomato sauce would go well together?"

"Probably not. Hey, if I lose to Kuno on my next rematch, I'll use it to put myself down."

"Hey," Akane cried. "No need to get mean."

"You're the one preparing my dinner while threatening chemical warfare."

Her glare for Ranma faulted and fell at the amused smirk on his face as he cooked the rice. Her eyes dipped to the muscles of his still bare arms under the light of the electric lamp of the tent, looking at the casual power. "You are so lucky you're good looking enough to get away with being a jerk."

Smirking, he didn't even try to deny it. "Yeah, but most chicks just take it personal. Especially hot ones."

"Ranma," Akane stated slowly, "You just called my cooking toxic."

"Yeah, and you're cool enough not to whine it out, you give it back hard as you take it."

Smiling at his off hand compliment, Akane shrugged. "Thank Nabiki, she's been giving me worse than you do my whole life."

Glancing at Akane, he shrugged. "Maybe, but I'm still gonna miss it. I mean once you're engaged next week, I don't see your fiancé letting you come camping with a guy who gives you massages."

Akane froze, her stomach dropping at the reminder, and the disappointment in his voice. She did have a choice to reject the engagement, but suddenly realized Ranma expected her to honor it… The more she thought about it, the more she realized of course he did, since he was engaged to three girls and would marry one, four after he got another next weekend himself apparently.

Rather than think about the image of Ranma beside a girl in a wedding dress, the gleeful look not changing as the faces did between Ukyo, Shampoo, or Sakura, she continued preparing dinner, packing up the unused back away.

Seeing Akane's discomfort out of the corner of his eye, Ranma decided to change the subject.

"So what would you be doing if you were at home right now?"

Akane shrugged, "Probably more homework. The teachers piled it on since I left so suddenly. Then again…"

His companion suddenly sucked in air and going pale, then red faced.

"Oh my, I totally forgot I was meeting someone tonight."

Ranma chuckled, stirring the rice to help it cook evenly. "Duh, good one."

"Hey! I just forgot," she defended, imagining Ryoga sitting alone in a restaurant, after having walked through the rain for the date. But there was no way she could call him now even if she wanted.

* * *

"Here Mr Customer, you try this, so succulent."

Finally the tiger print bandanna wearing Ryoga couldn't resist the pretty waitress anymore, trying the cooked meat that had been prepared Mongolian style on the hotplate. Enjoying the spicy taste, Ryoga smiled, the flowers in his hand shaking as he looked out the window again at the clear cool night.

"Oh Mr Customer, your date not come?"

Shrugging embarrassed, he looked at the slip of paper Akane had given him after she had surrendered in that stupid ring to him. "This is Khan of Khans Mongolian BBQ, right?"

"That is right Mr Customer."

"On Hiroimono Street?"

"Hiroimono? No, Hirnoimono is the address of our Nerima restaurant, in Tokyo."

"And this is?"

"Kyoto."

The red faced young man stood suddenly then sat back down, "Ah, I'm late."

"So it seem Mr Customer," the exotic waitress agreed. "Would you like some more pork?"

"Pork!" he cried turning green before rushing out the door.

"Well damn," The waitress said dropping her accent, looking after the fleeing figure. "Why are the cute ones so messed up."

His feet pounding as he charged down the street, Ryoga spat out the taste of the meat he had eaten, focused instead on the image of the beautiful Akane, in a tiger print dress, sighing and waiting for him to arrive.

* * *

The bright sign of 'Khan of Khans Mongolian BBQ glowed in the night on Hiroimono Street, illuminating the figure standing in the pouring rain out front.

Holding his wooden blade at the ready, Tatewaki Kuno began to worry that he had been misled on where the vile stranger Hibiki was taking his proud Akane to dinner this night.

#Achoo!#

* * *

Laying out the two bowls of fluffy rice, one before Akane and the other himself, a plate of pickled veggies and cold meat between them, Ranma waited for her to pick up her chopsticks before grunting to get her attention.

"Hold up Akane. This training trip may be the last chance we get to see each other all alone without nobody else around."

Suddenly self-conscious, Akane's cheeks turned pink as she wondered where she was going, but let him continue.

"So right now, I want it now."

That made her turn further red, firmly suppressing her imagination, trying to articulate to ask what he meant.

"You aren't the dining champ right now. Kodachi and golden boy interrupted it last week. You aren't escaping this time!"

Calming herself, Akane straightened up, cursing her embarrassing blush, her eyes locking onto his blues as she readied for battle.

"You consistently talk big Ranma, but this is low. Picking a fight when you know if I don't let you win I'll have to deal with you sulking more…"

"I, oh, eh, this ain't…" he started, shame faced as he tried to defend himself of her words, only to see her grinning.

"Oh, you want to go out in the rain and turn girl before you have a whine, or you ready to fight for MY title?"

Having his words thrown in his face was the last straw, "Oh its on."

Raising a napkin, Akane grinned, "For my title of champion of breakfast."

She tossed the napkin up, both watching it hit the ground beside them before arms flashed as they devoured dinner.

Rice vanished from bowls, the meat going almost instantly and the vegetables following. Dancing chopsticks tried to block and counter to slow the opponent while still feeding their for once silent mouths.

Almost to the end, it came to a final pickle, Ranma just faster as he pinched a grip on it, Akane pinching around his chopsticks and flicking it up and free. Knowing Akane was going to bite it out of the air, Ranma lunged for it first, both biting into it, both freezing in place as their lips pushed together.

The pickle broke in half, but neither pulled back from pressing on the others lips.

* * *

Nodoka Saotome looked out into the early evening darkness and rain out the window. If all went well, they would be in that big tent Sakura had bought her son, and in the rain wouldn't be able to not face each other and get back to being friends.

If they had negative feelings for each other next week when they are told of the engagement, this could all be for naught.

Lifting her teacup for another sip, it cracked in two. Half the cup shattered on the floor, making the older woman purse her lips in concern at the mess and remaining half, a bad omen.

* * *

Her eyes frozen on those beautiful blue orbs, just off angle but right in front of her, Akane managed to swallow the half a pickle in her mouth, her breath from her nose restarting as his swallowing moved his lips on hers.

Both managed to come back to kneeling, fortunately empty bowls brushed aside as Ranma's fingers ran through her hair, holding the kiss, directing her slightly but not holding her to him, somehow locked together through their eyes.

She definitely was the first to moan into their kissing, but there was no denying his tongue crossed into her mouth first, a strange eddy of push and pull storming between them, skin hypersensitive on a thumping awareness of every point of contact, her fingers squeezing into his biceps as he still stroked through her hair.

For an instant feeling like she was falling, Akane found herself cradled down to the bedding mat, Ranma kissing down on her, their eyes warring with the same storm of hunger and tenderness that rocked their bodies back and forth.

Breaking the kiss with a sudden growl, Akane felt the almost hot and electric touch of her fingers up under the back of his gi between the belt that held his top shut and his pants.

Not missing a beat, Akane's lips found his chin, the rough touch of stubble reminding this was definitely a man, his smell in her nostrils as his lips found hers again, eyes locking, all the points of contact between them overpowering anything she had experienced before.

Her arm going up Ranma's back as they continued to kiss and suck at each others lips, her fingers trailing over and down his arm, feeling awkward and lost when she found it on the mat, Ranma using it for balance and control over her.

For a panicked moment Ranma thought he had gone too far, when Akane broke the connection to push him up, taking him over and onto his back. He ignored the chopstick under his back and the clang of kicked bowl, more concerned about Akane, finding her straddling his hips, her face returning down on his, his lips reaching up to meet her.

Pushing down on his lips, Akane let her weight push his head down on the mats, her arms grabbing his wrist, pulling his hands to her, awkwardly holding them to get them around her back before bracing herself to kiss without bruising lips.

Laying on his chest, his mouth and tongue finding her ear for a time, tiny shivers running up and down her spine, her body trembled and ached like she never knew before, not like this, Akane dragged herself down him, nipping at his neck. With sudden crystal clarity, Akane knew what her body wanted.

Ranma's tongue was out of his mouth as Akane almost vanished, sitting back up suddenly, her wide eyes nervous as they locked onto his in the weak light. Her face was pale as the pair gasped down forgotten breaths, Akane turning suddenly red and shuffling backwards onto his thighs, eyes glancing down at him, then anywhere but till finally locking on his eyes once more, desperately trying to think. Suddenly she knew what those songs and stories were all about.

He wanted her, that was undeniable in Akane's mind, but this wasn't the slavering lust machines like the boys at school. This was him, the man who knew her body but had controlled himself every other time. She had no fear of him, despite how wrong this was, this would be a regret forever if she leant back down to him.

Controlling himself, Ranma closed his eyes from her beautiful brown orbs, surprised by the intensity of the emotions he had for the girl who, rather typically, life was happy to dangle like a carrot but not let him have. She was for someone else.

Sitting up enough onto his elbows, he looked at her pack. "I'll set up the other tent."

Akane knew what she'd regret.

"Shut up."

The young woman on his legs grabbed him around the back of her neck, pulling him up to kiss with all the searing passion pouring through her body.

Releasing her hold as his arms encircled her, her hands reached for the knot on his gi belt, fumbling to get it off before finally just ripping the belt in half. In an instant her hands dragged up the hot skin of his abdomen.

Still trying to kiss her, Ranma mentally stumbled as his gi top was dragged off his back without care for damage to it or his arms. "Makarmay?" he mumbled into her lips, only to suddenly find himself pushed back down to the mat.

"Shut up."

Ignoring her belt, Akane simply yanked her gi top up out of it, snapping the ties inside it as she pulled it off. She smiled as he looked at her sports bra, then up to her eyes again. Shivering, she crossed her arms over her head to pull the supporter up and off.

"Just shut up Ranma."

* * *

To be continued….

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Jamieson, Hpackrat, Angela Jewel, and from the past Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, , YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Special thanks to for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.


	13. Chapter 13

Ranma Fanfiction: Meeting Later 13

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 31 Dec 08

* * *

Meeting Later – Chapter 13

"Tee-ha!"

#chunk#

Ranma woke at the sound of chopping wood.

Breathing in, he could smell Akane on him, and as he recalled what had happened last night, his eyes flickered around the tent, noticing his sleeping bags zippered into a double with hers, his boxers tossed near the tent opening, her sports bra sticking out from under his pillow.

The sound of another strike outside brought him out of his memory, his brow furrowing as he wondered what this meant for him and her, and how she felt about it considering she seemed to be busying herself.

With a sigh he sat up and began to climb out of the bag and dress. He knew he wasn't good at guessing how others think, so he was going to have to face her. While he pulled on his spare white training gi, some dark part of his mind whispered that he had ruined another friendship, while another thought wondered what she was wearing outside.

Opening the flap, he walked over to where Akane was chopping up wood branches with hand strikes on an old flat stone.

"Hey Akane," he said cautiously, watching her reaction.

Akane blinked in surprise, looked at Ranma for a long moment, then gave a sunny smile. "Morning sleepy head, I'm just getting some wood for a fire for breakfast."

He swallowed slowly, "You okay, I mean…"

She frowned as Ranma gestured behind her at the pile of wood she had already prepared, the six-foot pile should cover breakfast fires for about a year. She realized pretty quickly that he knew she'd been distracted when she began preparing firewood.

"About last night…"

"Wait Ranma," she cried, jumping to her feet and placing her hand in front of, but not touching, his mouth. She continued awkwardly, "I just, let's discus this later?"

The pair looked down at their feet.

Ranma swallowed, "Was it… wrong?"

"No!" Akane said, squirming where she stood, a smile tugging at her lips. "It was... it was wonderful, I, I just needed... Let's talk about it later, please?"

"Okay", nodding to appear understanding, Ranma's eyes showed only confusion and concern.

Akane grinned suddenly and tossed the branch in her hand at him like a spear. "Let's spar!"

Catching it between his hands, he had just enough time to use it to block a kick as training began.

* * *

Akane was red faced as she tried to regain her breath, noticing with some satisfaction that Ranma was at least sweating from the sparring. Both were off their game as they kept on thinking of last night, his own gaze slipping often from her eyes. Both avoided grappling attacks and moves, and even kicks were less common this morning.

The sun was high and they still hadn't had breakfast when they stopped, they had fought there way down the hill, springing off trees and rocks as they let the fight direct them where it would.

It was finally a grumble from Ranma's stomach that called them to a halt, "You're doing better. Want to call it for lunch?"

Akane nodded, saving her breath, and looked out away from the hillside, a frown coming to her lips as she saw Ranma's expression change from a smile to concern.

"What is it?"

"Shh!"

He held up his hand as he listened. Then they both heard the voice in the distance.

"Spatula girl sure this where Airen come?"

Akane looked to Ranma, "Ukyo and Shampoo?"

Ranma nodded, his face paling as his minds eye suddenly swept up the hillside, entering their sparse camp. The camp with only one tent assembled…

"Distract them! I'll put your tent up!" he hissed before charging up the hill.

Akane blushed deeply and looked down at her self, straightening her clothes before moving towards the voices.

"Konatsu overheard one of Sakura's lackeys calling her, Ranchan is up here training with someone who beat that Kuno guy so he can have a rematch."

"Samurai must be strong to beat Airen, but Airen will win."

"I don't suppose there is some kind of Amazon law that makes you marry this Kuno guy if he doesn't?"

"Only if Samurai kill Airen, but Airen too good. Shampoo and Airen be too too good when together."

"Hey Bimbo, we're only here to stop Sakura interfering with Ranchan's training. Keep your hands off him!"

Akane swallowed at the hostility in Ukyo's voice, knowing that when these two found out she was the mystery trainer for Ranma that anger was going to come at her. Stepping out, she looked at the pair. She opened her mouth but the other pair beat her to it.

"What are you doing here?" "What pervert girl doing here?"

Akane blushed. Possibly the singularly worst thing she could do.

The pair burst past her heading up the hill for answers.

* * *

Ranma sped through his actions, dashing into camp, digging out Akane's tent, and kicking clear the ground it would cover while his nimble fingers worked the ties on its bag. Tipping out the contents, his arms jabbed the stakes into the ground without need for a hammer, the matting laid out and hooked, the ropes in position. He threaded the outer poles through the sleeves, lifting it and climbing inside as he set the inner poles.

His danger sense gave him just enough time to dive flat on the base, arms tight against his body as the roaring engine of an all terrain vehicle passed inches over his head, the tent going under the eight tires as easily as the trees before it had.

Sakura jumped down from the passenger seat of her Daddy's camping vehicle as it came to a stop in the camp. "Ranma-darling, I'm here," she called out looking around the desolate little camp. Her lips frowned as Ukyo and Shampoo burst into the camp, the pair looking in horror at her tank like ride, her own anger growing as Akane followed them.

"Where's Ranma?" "Where Airen?" "Where's Ranchan?"

"A little help?"

All eyes turned to under the vehicle, and in short order the remains of the tent were dragged out and the sole occupant was freed from where the wheels had tightened the material like a cocoon around him.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Ranma asked.

"Us? You're supposed to be training to fight this Kuno guy! What is she doing here?" Ukyo demanded pointing at Akane.

"Akane is my teacher, she's beaten him before lots of times and knows his moves."

Ukyo narrowed her eyes on Ranma, then glared at Akane but seemed satisfied with the answer. She pointed at Sakura, "We found out that she was coming up and so came to stop her from distracting you."

Ranma glanced at Sakura who was locked in a glaring battle with Shampoo, then looked at her truck. "Bit late for that, huh?"

Sakura saw his attention and turned from Shampoo, "Ranma dear, might I enquire why it is you see fit to invite these hussies on this trip but decline to even enquire to see if I was available."

He shook his head, "This was a training trip, the only one meant to be here is Akane, to give me some tips on beating Kuno"

Shampoo glared first and Sakura then at Akane, "We here stop easy girl from bother Airen. Now stop pervert girl steal husband."

"Shampoo, enough!" Ranma yelled, drawing attention to him, which was good for Akane as the dark haired girl blushed. "All of you go home."

Shampoo shook her head, and Ranma could see in that instant that she wasn't going to leave while Akane was here, and Ukyo and Sakura weren't either as long as she stayed.

"Fine, you can stay, but this is about training, one argument or fight, and I'm leaving. Got it?"

Three heads nodded.

* * *

Nodoka looked up from her sewing as she heard the front door opening over the evening news. Coming to the door she found her son in his cursed form dragging his pack inside.

"Ranma, you're back early. How was your trip?" she asked as she took his coat. Judging by the sour look on his feminine forms face, either he was going to be upset about Akane being the instructor, or something else had gone wrong, hopefully the latter.

"A big waste for training. That new tent Sakura gave us, she could track where it goes, so she showed up in some truck caravan thing and destroyed Akane's tent. Ucchan and Shampoo showed up to stop her and then got upset with Akane being there. When we finally sorted it out, they all hung around. Akane tried to show me some of Kuno's main technique against the girls so I could try to work out a way to beat it, but they spent more time arguing among themselves than training. Then we found out Shampoo hadn't brought a tent cause she expected to use mine, and Ukyo and Sakura had a big argument with her, eventually splashing her, so she chased me as a cat round the woods, and Akane packed her stuff and mine and grabbed me and we came home."

Leaving his pack at the entrance, she ushered him into the living room, handing him a towel and stepping lightly to the kitchen to get him some hot water and some tea. Stepping out at least let her hide her smile that the trouble between Ranma and Akane was resolved. "So you got nothing out of it?" she asked back through the doorway.

"Maybe not nothing…" the red head said with a bad blush, but as her blue eyes looked at the clothes his mother had been sewing repairs to, recognizing the yin yang symbol in its belt, she paled. "Hey Mom, what are you sewing that thing back together again for?"

Entering the main room she handed two mugs to her son. "Next week I will be attending Akane's engagement meeting before we go to your own. Your father's teacher has been staying with the Tendo's, and though I have hopefully given him reason not to cause embarrassment, it would be best to have the option of a reminder of my tolerance of him should he need one."

* * *

"Well well," Nabiki stated with a grin as she stood in Akane's bedroom doorway watching her sister unpacking.

Akane froze in putting her camping gear in her closet, reluctant to face her sister. If anyone could guess what she did with a glance it would be Nabiki. "Hi Nabiki, busy day?" she asked without turning around.

"Massive. Lots of collecting. No one expected you to head out on a date and stay out nearly twenty four hours."

Blushing badly, Akane spun around, "I didn't even go on the date. I forgot about it!"

Nabiki grinned, "Oh I know, but it sounds better my way."

"Is that what you've been telling everyone?"

"No, unfortunately I couldn't. After all, you might be family but too many people know you didn't show, I can't protect my baby sister just because she broke the rules."

Frowning, Akane glared at her sister. "What rule of Love Dome did you forget to tell me of now?"

"You should have known Sis, there had to be a rule about not turning up for your date. Don't be too worried, first offence, is pretty light."

Groaning, Akane turned away as she lifted her sleeping bag, her hand brushing over it, her face red as she recalled last night again.

"Fine, what is it?"

Nabiki's eyes narrowed on her sister, feeling something odd in her tone. "Simple, you just can't register dates or relationships for a month. Or until you go through with the date."

Controlling her face, Akane turned from kicking her sleeping bag into her closet, tossing the roll onto her bed. "So I don't have to tell everyone about my social life? What's the bad side here?"

"You remember when you surrendered to that guy in the bandana, no one else could challenge you again? That was because your date was registered."

"So?"

"So, anyone who didn't get to challenge you because of this registered date…" Nabiki let it trail off as her sister sighed.

"They can all challenge me over the next month."

"Bingo." Nabiki said with a grin, 'And then some Sis.'

* * *

Suppressing a smile, Nodoka handed the phone to her son. Talking to Akane over the telephone hadn't been very enlightening, but the young woman she had hoped would be her daughter in law was still focused on her son. The same could be said of her only child as he eagerly took over talking to her himself.

Stepping into the kitchen, she busied herself to give them privacy.

"Hi Ranma."

"Hey Tomboy, how's things? Sorry again that the girls showed up to training."

Akane squirmed a little, thoughts jumping to alternate meanings, distracted as her ear seemed to want to savor his voice.

"I'll live. How're things at school?"

"Boring. Several guys have been asking where you went. Toko and his idiot friends tried to start a rumor that you had been arrested. Idiots."

"Arrested? Why that?"

"Who knows. But some of the other girls apparently locked Toko into a bathroom stall during lunch. They found him after school, then he got detention for skipping class."

"Serves him right," Akane huffed, "If he came to this school I'd give him a reason to shut his mouth."

"Heh, you got me to shut up."

Both fell silent with red faces at the words.

* * *

"Reservation, sir?"

"Ah, Hibiki or Tendo?"

The waiter at the 'Khan of Khans' Mongolian BBQ restaurant looked distastefully over the young man in the worn travel clothes, holding a dead, wilted bouquet of flowers.

"Sir, we have no reservations tonight. Sir we do have a reservation made for last Friday night, for which on a busy evening that table was left unused."

Swallowing nervously, Ryoga scratched the back of his head, near the knot of the tiger print bandana he wore. "Um, today is?"

"Tuesday night sir."

"Ah, do you know the way to Furinkan High?"

* * *

Soun Tendo held up his hand as his daughters began to gather the dishes after dinner.

"Daughters, this Sunday we will be hosting an engagement meeting regarding a promise to another family before any of you were born. Akane, despite my desire to see you accept this responsibility for our family, Nodoka has argued well that you will all be given the choice on Sunday. I would only ask that you are all open minded about the opportunity, and the honor of the family, before you reject this out of hand."

Akane glanced at her father, but she could feel the trap closing on her, and with a guilty drop in her stomach knew she wouldn't resist.

* * *

"This is rather sudden, Mr Saotome?"

Ranma nodded as he watched the school office clerk going over the paperwork his mother had him submit. "Yeah, I only found out last week, but it might only be till New Year then I'll be back."

She nodded, "I think many of the students will miss you Mr Saotome, though I dare say the maintenance man will be wanting to know what school you're attending next so he can warn them," she said with a rueful smile.

The black haired boy frowned. "Actually, I don't know, Mom didn't say. I suppose the same one as this new fiancée since our family is gonna stay with hers for the next few weeks to months so I can get to know her."

"Another fiancée? You're a real heart breaker, Mr Saotome. Just make sure you treat them right. Just because you don't love them the way they want doesn't mean you can just use them or abuse their hearts."

"Trust me Ms Tanaka, hurting them is the last thing I want. If this one hates me, I'll be considering myself lucky," he said in reply to her friendly advice.

She smiled and shook her head, handing him documents. "Here is your school records and history, pass these along to your new school when you enroll, and do try to look like we taught you something in your time here."

Ranma blushed bashfully and nodded before leaving the office.

* * *

"So yeah, apparently in packing up, I got your sleeping bag and you got mine?"

Akane blushed heavily, glad Ranma was only asking this over the phone, knowing of the switch up already. In fact she had been using it as a second blanket against the winter cold, the smell of it reminding her of him, driving off bad dreams.

"Yeah, I have it here. We'll have to exchange them again."

Hearing him sigh into the receiver at the same moment she recalled how they exchanged them in the first place made her grin.

"I guess it'll have to be after this weekend."

The heavy word he ended on reminded her of what was happening in just a few days like a bucket of cold water.

"Yeah."

Later when she hung up the phone, Akane held back tears. She had known it was just one night, but every time she spoke to him, she wanted him to say it was more. Did he not speak because he'd be dishonoring not just themselves, their families, and the girls after him, but the man she was to marry?

* * *

Ranma smiled and waved to a few students as he headed home. Glancing back, he looked on Bokuto high school, his mind flitting through scraps of memories, wondering what school he would be attending next and what problems he'd face there.

Jumping to a fence as he walked home, he idly considered if he should be open about his curse or not at this new school. Living with it for a year, he no longer hated it, but that was different to accepting it, or wanting other to think he had accepted being half girl.

As it began to rain, and his body shrank and shifted, he knew it wasn't going to be easy to hide the curse again, even for only a couple months.

* * *

"Akane, are you okay?"

Kasumi's voice through the bathroom door shocked the girl from her thoughts, her hand automatically wiping her tears from her face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay, dinner is ready."

Nodding, Akane quickly redressed, using a clean pair of underwear and menstrual pad, shaking her head, trying to shake the image of her and Ranma together, a baby in her arms. There was no way she wanted to be a teenage pregnancy, but it was a sweet image growing since that night.

With a last glance at the mirror to wipe her red eyes, Akane left the bathroom, and the image in the past.

* * *

Ranma waved with a half-hearted smile to Sena Ono as he entered the clinic on the gray Sunday morning.

Looking up, the brunette smiled at Ranma crossing the waiting room of the small clinic. "That's a long face for a man who could be meeting the love of his life later today," she smiled to imply teasing, but she was going to have to ask Kasumi later as to how he reacted when he found out who his new fiancée was.

He gave her a cocky grin that didn't reach his eyes, "Somehow I don't think it's a winning tactic to keep attracting fiancées till I find one I want to marry." His grin struggled as he thought of the girl who he had already found but couldn't pick.

Coming up behind the desk to her, he held up the dry cleaning bag in one hand, the two wooden geta in his off hand. "Mom said you'd help me do this all up after work so I can be dressed for this meeting."

Looking at the heavy outfit and wooden shoes, Sena nodded. "Oh yes. It'll be a good practice for Tofu's turn, that isn't far off."

"Doc and Kasumi going that well huh? Well she did seem pretty eager," he recalled with a blush. The blush increased as he recalled Akane's forwardness in the mountains and wondering it was a family thing.

"Oh? Do tell?"

He backed off quickly, seeing the demand for gossip in Sena's eyes. "Er, if I'm going at lunch, I better get started soon."

"You're no fun," she teased with a pout. Taking the bag from him, she gave him a series of notes indicating a massage patient name, appointment time, needs, and problems. "So you're going to the Tendo's before meeting this new girl."

"Yeah, Mom's there to help with Akane's engagement before mine,"

Sena smiled as he saw his knuckles tightening before he sighed and got to work.

* * *

Ohata growled as he looked from his study guide at his mobile phone ringing on its charger. Snatching it up, he saw the caller identity, his frown turning up.

"Nabiki-chan, whatever did I do to deserve this delight?"

A voice murmured into his ear as he turned in his chair towards the window. "Oh really? I do love surprises, what is this?" As he listened on his demeanor darkened, the smile still on his lips.

"You do know what I like don't you? I am indebted to you. Dinner next week?"

He smiled again as details were shared and the call was ended and she hung up.

"Thank you Miss Tendo," he said, still smiling. Turning in the chair, his thumb deftly touched buttons on the phone pad.

"Toko, it's me, you still got pig boy there?" He nodded at as he heard the affirmative answer, explaining to Toko what he needed to do. Even as he spoke, his free hand took out an address book and glancing though it for details he had recorded, the number for a 'personal assistant' by the name of Sasuke.

* * *

One problem with any formal kimono was they needed to be neat. It had taken his mother months to explain to him the nature of creases in disheveled clothes and what it said about you to others in the world, and he still wasn't a fan of ironing, but formal clothes were so much more specific. His mind couldn't keep straight how the folds of the sleeves of a kimono could detail marital status, and that was just the sleeves, with the rest the mind boggled. All he really knew was that once it was on, you couldn't dishevel them.

As a self-conscious Ranma stood on the rushing train, being watched by other passengers of Japan Rail, he wished he could loosen the sash of his kimono but in truth he was too scared of mussing the fabric he hadn't even taken a seat.

It was a moment of joy to get away from those watching him as the Furinkan stop came up in on the Nerima Ward line, and he disembarked.

He was almost out of the station when a new voice stopped him.

"Halt villain! Thou have been broken on the alter of my righteousness, thou has no business in my domain."

The dark haired boy cursed under his breath as he turned to face Kuno, hardening his resolve. "Hello Kuno," he said simply as he shifted his stance. "You beat me last time Kuno, but we will have a rematch, just not today. Today I got family business."

Kuno stood with his hands behind his back, his hips thrust forward as he looked down his nose at Ranma. "I already know of your debaucherous plans to force Akane Tendo into submission to you, but such will not happen within my domain!"

Nervous as to what Kuno knew of him and Akane, his blue eyes narrowed on Ohata stepped out behind Kuno, "I've already told Kuno what you're up to Saotome, it's over."

"Kuno, I don't know what Ohata told you, but he's full of it. I ain't fighting today." He turned to leave, only to face Ryoga.

"I promised I'd take your happiness Ranma," the boy in the spotted bandana boy said simply as he raised his umbrella. "You're not going no where today."

* * *

"Yen for your thoughts?"

The dark haired girl on the chair looked up at her open door at her older sister's voice. "Oh, nothing… well, not nothing. My futures all planned out and waiting for me this afternoon and I know nothing of it."

Nabiki suppressed her smile and sat on her sister's bed, eyes on Akane still looking out her window.

"So you're just going to accept this engagement. No fight left in you at all?"

The younger sister looked down at her lap. "A family promise still holds a lot of honor. It isn't common any more, but it could be worse."

"You mean you could have Kuno, Mikado, and others fighting over you and know you have to marry one except you like someone else completely?"

Akane swung around on her chair to face her sister. "What do you know about it?"

Nabiki's eyes hardened. "I know my baby sister is playing martyr because she wants a boy who's taken."

Akane flinched and looked away.

"Shame you didn't decide this weeks ago, after all, if I had time it wouldn't have been that hard at all to convince Daddy to go off on some weird unite the schools bit and you could have been yet another fiancé after him." Nabiki's eyes watched her for any sign. "And with the hots he has for you, you probably would have snagged him from under his other girls too."

Akane's shoulders shook once in a suppressed sob, and Nabiki pounced. "Mind you, I wouldn't say that would be impossible till the meeting, later today."

Nabiki shifted back as Akane's head came up nearly fast enough to get whiplash. Her voice was barely audible. "Do you think Daddy would do it?"

The older Tendo daughter had to physically resist her eyes rolling as Akane failed to see the obvious in front of her. Taking advantage of her baby sister was not something she would normally do, at least not so blatantly, but sometimes tough-love was needed to teach one a life lesson, like why one shouldn't be too busy sulking about your fate to put together the facts. Slowly the older girl turned to her sister. "Do you want him, sis? Do you want to be Mrs Saotome?"

The girl was wide eyed as she nodded, a sliver of hope growing behind her eyes.

Standing and paced away from Akane to mask her smirk, Nabiki moved like she was thinking through a plan. "It won't be easy, but Aunty likes you and we can probably flash it by Daddy and Uncle Saotome if we play it right. What we need to do is make is it seem like they thought of it," she said with an air of consideration.

She turned back, "You know, if you had just jumped Ranma's bones while you had the chance this would be a snap." She gave Akane a naughty grin, waiting for her baby sister to blush and protest being scandalized like that.

The blush was there but she looked down. Down wasn't defense. It was guilt.

Akane could hear her sister's eyes blink twice before the door slammed shut and Nabiki was by her side taking up her hands, staring at her face. "You didn't! Oh my god! You DID!"

The girl was too embarrassed to speak or struggle, letting Nabiki pull on her hands to drag her chair and all to beside the bed so they could face each other eye to eye. "What happened? When? Tell me?"

"On the camping trip, we were fighting over a pickle and then we were kissing, and I, I…" Her eyes became horrified. "You can't tell!"

"Ha! Daddy would have a heart attack." She giggled to herself for several moments before consequences started playing out in her mind. "You know you're going to have to tell Aunty though."

Nabiki's eyes narrowed at a broader consequence. "Did you use protection?"

The blush said it more than the words, "It wasn't like I went up there to do that. It was, just the moment."

"Dumb sis, real dumb. Romantic, but dumb." Nabiki's brown eyes hid a quick calculation. "You were in sync with Kasumi and me. Is your cycle next week?"

Grumpily, Akane shook her head. "It wasn't smart, but I'm not pregnant. I'm early, started yesterday."

Nabiki nodded, knowing that it wasn't absolutely impossible still, but it lengthen the odds of her being a nineteen-year-old Aunty by a lot. Mentally noting to get a pregnancy test to confirm later, she prioritized on the important fact. "Anyway, what was it like?"

Akane pulled back. "What about today? Can you convince Daddy to change?"

"How about this, if by tonight you're engaged to Ranma Saotome, you swear to tell me everything, -everything-, about what happened? We won't tell Daddy, or Uncle, about your little indiscretion but Aunty will need to know for you to be in the lead for Ranma after you are engaged. Do you want him that bad?"

The younger girl nodded eagerly.

"Wow, he must have been gooood!"

Akane grabbed her pillow and started hitting the giggling Nabiki, blushing the whole time.

* * *

Ranma cursed his lack of slippers as his wooden geta came down awkwardly on the fence edge making it impossible to spring up to the rooftops. Altering direction, he managed to dive into the backyard garden. Landing feet first on edging stones, he turned just as Ryoga tore through the fence in pursuit.

With a grimace he dove back in, holding out his arm as Ryoga ploughed blindly through his own debris, the arm hooking the lost boy under the chin, the coat hanger move leaving Ryoga to slam onto the ground behind Ranma as the kimono clad fighter darted back into the street, turning right to avoid Kuno who came rushing in behind him.

"You can always run, dog, but your insipid show of insolence in defiling my domain shows your need to learn this lesson again! Kazekage Oite Kijuukiumuo"

With a cry of his attack, 'Crane Feathers on the Dark Wind!', Kuno attacked the air, shard like waves coming off his blade, impacting around Ranma as the young martial artist jump clear, the wall behind him breaking in sections under the onslaught of power.

"Come on Saotome, are you going to keep running like a coward?"

Ohata's cry annoyed the heir of the Saotome School of Anything Goes far more than being attacked. When Ohata, sick of being challenged and beaten by Ranma, had renounced the art and gotten a restraining order against him, Ranma had seen it as an act of cowardice, but no matter how he tried to ignore such insults by Jiro, he still burned when called the coward. Ducking Hibiki's umbrella, Ranma caught sight of it flying past him, smashing into a a series of trash cans, fortunately stopping it from returning to Ryoga. A grin came to Ranma's lips as the collateral damage inspired a thought.

Rolling to the side, Ranma collected all the power and skill of a true martial artist, like himself. "Moko Takabisha!"

Like a cannon shot, the golden ball of ki, manifested with his light but powerful self confidence, shot down the path. His aim perfect, it lanced into Kuno's chest.

Kuno sneered at the impotent light show, ignorant that his own towering self confidence in his power matched Ranma's, leaving nothing for the emotional ki to strike in him, just as the first time he had tried that attack in the park months before.

Ranma barely frowned, not surprised that Kuno again proved immune to that strike. He flipped back from swordsman to land on a fence, his eyes followed the path of his ki attack as it went beyond the kendo master.

Full of constant self-doubt and anger, Ryoga failed to see the attack till it passed through Kuno, knocking the young man in the spotted bandana aside, back through the hole in the fence he had made and emerged from. Further behind them, Jiro Ohata just dodged aside of the main strike making him 'accidental' collateral, wincing as he landed on his hip, his mobile phone shattering in his pocket.

Seeing Saotome smirking over his head, Kuno didn't waste his opponent's distraction, lunging forth, a swirling blade of wind extending his reach at Ranma's head. Barely dodging aside, Ranma felt the whipping air grazing his cheek, making him stumble falling from the fence, landing hard on his behind, on the ground once more.

Ohata laughed as he watched, whistling as he saw Ryoga standing again but ready to charge the wrong direction. "Hibiki, this way!"

Ryoga turned, watching with a snarl as the arrogant swordsman sent his hated rival to the ground in a way he had rarely done. Summoning all the defeats and embarrassing problems he had ever had, he called forth a ball of energy between his hands, chi forced dripping with dark thoughts of failure that he aimed at the source of his problems. "Shi shi hokodan!"

Still dodging the wind strikes of Kuno's sword, Ranma didn't have time to change direction when Ryoga struck, the chi ball of heavy emotion slammed into him, carrying him down the street, through the link fence. Ohata cheered as he saw the splash of water rise from the canal the hermaphrodite had been tossed into. He hurried to catch up to Kuno, who was nearing the canal, Ryoga charging up as well.

Ranma managed to get her body standing in the canal, horrified at the sodden and damaged mess she now wore. Hearing a voice, she looked up at the road above, seeing Kuno, looking down in utter surprise at her.

Charging down the street, eye on the hole in the fence, Ryoga came to the edge of the canal, another chi ball forming in his hands and looked down at the water logged red haired girl and smiled. Ignoring the swordsman at his side, he sneered at his rival. "Die Ranma!"

Kuno's wooden blade smacked under Ryoga's hands, his ball of dark chi firing into the distant sky.

The fang toothed boy turned in sheer anger on the swordsman, only to find a furious face staring back at him. "You would attack a woman! You would attack my own red haired goddess!"

* * *

Akane smiled to Kasumi as her sister helped her finish putting on her Kimono. She could hear the laughter of Daddy and Uncle Saotome down stairs, Aunty apparently here to help with the engagement before taking Uncle and Ranma to another engagement meeting from a family promise.

"I guess they will be here soon, do you know if Nabiki has spoken to Aunty yet?"

"I think so Akane, is there a problem?"

"No, just, she was going to make a suggestion to Aunty."

Their father's voice came up the stairs from below, "Akane, Kasumi, please come down."

With a nervous smile to Kasumi, Akane double checked her clothes and then followed her elder sister out the door and down the stairs. Nabiki was at the bottom of the stairs, she looked pleased with herself. "No guarantee but if you don't blow it, you might get lucky." With a wink she turned and led them into the main room so Akane couldn't react more than blush and bare it, while Kasumi's brow furrowed at her sister's choice in words.

Soun's voice was thick with emotion as his daughters entered the room for a formal engagement decades in the making. "My daughters, Kasumi, aged twenty, Nabiki, eighteen, and Akane, seventeen."

Akane's brow furrowed as she saw Aunty Nodoka was not beside her father, but on the opposite side of the table from where the girls would kneel, beside her sat her husband, both in formal kimono.

"I don't think we need to be so formal here today Soun. I have known your daughters a long time, in many ways I love them as were they my own." Nodoka smiled gently and looked to Akane. "I owe you an apology Akane, I have lied to you and had your own family lie to you."

Akane blinked nervously as the elder woman continued. "I cannot say that I am unhappy with the outcome of the lies, but I wish they had not been necessary. Had Ranma not, attracted, the unwanted attention of others in his travels this would have been easier but the last thing he would have wanted was another fiancée. He needed to meet you, and your sisters, without knowing that there was a promise to unite our families."

Akane kept blinking, comprehension locked in a circle as impossible facts came around and around. Finally it clicked. "Wait, the engagement is to Ranma?" she asked incredulously. "And you all knew but me?"

Nodoka rolled her eyes as Nabiki piped up, "You didn't think it was odd that Daddy sprung this on us when Ranma's Dad turned up?"

Akane settled, feeling foolish, then angry, but deep down she suddenly felt flaring hope over the former dread.

Nodoka smiled. "All three of you have met my son, but I will not force you to accept him. Between his curse and his other engagements there is no arguing that any engagements would have difficulties." Her eyes hardened on Soun as he seemed to rise to object and he back down and looked hopefully at his daughters. "Ranma will arrive in an hour, and if none of you accept him I will tell him the other family pulled out and no friendships need be strained between you."

Ranma's mother looked to the eldest daughter. "Kasumi, do you want my son for a husband?"

Kasumi bowed to Nodoka and shook her head. "I'm afraid I must decline Aunty. There is another I am courting."

Nodoka smiled and nodded knowing the Doctor behind Kasumi's heart. "Good luck with your courting."

Nodoka turned to the middle daughter. "Nabiki, do you want my son for a husband?"

The tips of Nabiki's mouth raised, "What happens if both I and Akane accept?"

Nodoka frowned, wondering were the middle daughter was going with this. "Ranma will have to choose between you when he arrives."

Genma grunted, "Why not let both engagements stand? Two more isn't that much more than one, and more chances of a Tendo engagement."

Nodoka shook her head as Soun started to nod his agreement. "No, there is no need to confuse the issue any more than has been done."

"May I consider it until Ranma arrives?" Nabiki was still smiling.

Akane was frowning further at her sister, jealousy rising behind her eyes.

"If you wish," Nodoka smiled at her. "Though I fear Ranma is quite taken with Akane if she does agree as well."

Nabiki smiled. "Maybe, but it'd be a waste to say no if she doesn't want him. Besides, he is rather hunky, maybe a stud like him is worth trying for." Nabiki turned her smile on Akane.

Akane was sputtering and red faced, and Kasumi seemed almost as shocked. Nodoka and the fathers seemed happy, all for different reasons. Nodoka decided not to let it get out of control though. "Akane, will you take my son for a husband?"

Akane seemed shocked at the question even knowing it was coming, but finally something deep down kicked her into action. "Yes. I want him, er, to be engaged to him."

Nodoka smiled as Genma and Soun tipped back celebratory drinks the bald Saotome had hidden under the table. "Thank you for accepting him Akane, daughter."

Akane didn't need to answer as Nodoka turned on the fathers, herding them outside with a bottle of pricey Japanese whisky, one of several engagement gifts they had brought, and their shogi board. Kasumi returned from the kitchen with tea as Nodoka shut the doors on the men and kneeled in her place.

Akane took her tea quietly, looking away from Nodoka knowing now the older woman had almost planned this moment out for her and watched her do exactly what she wanted to. What fury and rebellion she had fizzled ineffectually against the thought of being engaged to the Ranma, parts of her screaming for joy at this turn in her life.

She barely heard the words of her sister's question. "You seem pretty happy about this engagement now Sis? Especially since when you heard of it originally you ran away from home."

Akane nodded at Nabiki despite her sister's voice was thick with self-amusement.

Nabiki turned to Aunty. "I've decided I won't battle my sister for your son, Aunty."

Nodoka nodded as Akane smiled wider.

"After all, if I was going to marry some guy for honor, he'd have to be a virgin."

Akane coughed on her tea as Kasumi looked at her sister, scandalized.

Nodoka shook her head as she looked at Nabiki, "I assure you Nabiki, despite many women throwing themselves at my son, he is pure. He has promised to resist such temptation, out of honor for those whose engagements he will inevitably have to break."

Nabiki shrugged and sipped her tea, her dark eyes looking back at Nodoka with smugness. Confused, Nodoka glanced to Kasumi trying to understand Nabiki's attitude, her eyes turning next to the heavily blushing lump on Nabiki's other side. Nabiki had to suppress laughter as Nodoka blinked repeatedly while watching Akane.

"Akane-chan," the elder woman asked in a slow measured voice. "Did something happen between you and my son?"

The blushing Akane didn't look up, "It was, it wasn't, it just happened…"

"Akane, you didn't!" Kasumi couldn't have been more red.

The words Akane mumbled out in explanation made no sense to her let alone the others.

Nodoka shook her head and held up a hand that halted the girls. "I will have words to my son regarding the breaking of his promise but Akane, I must ask you one question."

Akane looked up, Nodoka's formal tone igniting a fear of rejection in her.

The older woman leaned towards her, her voice dropping, "Is he manly?"

Nabiki grinned and sipped her tea, watching Kasumi and Akane both reddening further, the younger girl nodding to her fiancés mother.

* * *

Ranma-chan looked at the gate of the Tendo residence, a sign beside the gate declaring it the Tendo Dojo, and for those wishing to face the owner in vicious combat, to use the rear gate.

She looked down at the remains of the oversized and water logged kimono she was wearing, knowing showing up here as a girl in the ruined outfit was not going to impress his mother. At the very least he needed to get some hot water, and maybe his mother and Kasumi could do something to fix the outfit before his new fiancée and her family showed up. Though the idea of going in there to find hot water and being met by Akane's dad, or worse Akane's new fiancé, like this was far from appealing. His shoulders slumped slightly as a spark of pain went through his female body.

Laughter attracted the red head's attention from beyond the gate, his feminine blue eye peaking through to see Genma her and some tall thin old guy with a moustache, drinking and playing shogi on the veranda, both in formal kimono.

"Must be her old man," Ranma muttered to himself before setting off around the walled yard. Around the back, she jumped to the top of the yard wall, her eyes looking over the yard. Her gaze moved over the dojo hall, part of her mind idly recalling the crystal clock from the shopping trip to Ginza with Akane and her sisters, how it did vaguely resemblance the building.

With a leap and dash she crossed the yard, passing a koi pond, and stood beside the wall near the veranda, her ears sharp for the sounds of anyone reacting or moving in the house. Creeping steps let her move to the door, hearing the voices of his mother and the Tendo daughters within. Suppressing an urge to crack the door ajar and see Akane, the red head moved around near the kitchen, cracking the door there and slipping silently inside, he heard his father's laughter booming from the front of the house, halting for a moment before continuing to seek the bathroom.

Somehow he didn't hear Mr Tendo coming around the corner over his father's laughter.

Soun Tendo brought up his guard at the intruder in his house, his eyes widening as he saw Nodoka's blue eyes in the face of the fellow before him. "Ranma Saotome?"

Ranma cringed at being caught, "Er, yeah, sorry bout this." She added a bow in hopes of salvaging some respect from the situation. But when she came up, she was engulfed in the older man's arms.

"At last you've come. My daughter is quite taken with you." There was a hint of disappointment in his voice, he had really expected the boy to be taller. Then again, to be a potent martial artist with small statue indicated great skill. Releasing his future son in law from the hug, he held his shoulders and took a good look at him.

Which was when the kimono's ruined threads gave out, the outfit falling away leaving Soun holding a short busty red haired young girl in only a pair of boxer shorts.

Ranma's face was red, unsure if it would appear weak to cover himself, the eyes of the man in front of him rolling back in his skull as he fell backwards with a thump.

"Ranma, what happened?"

The sight of his mother followed by Akane and her sisters into the hallway just made him blush worse. "This ain't what it looks like!"

* * *

"He's a girl!"

"What did you think I meant when I said he had a curse like mine but turned into a girl?"

"Daddy, it's a curse, he is a boy!"

Nabiki chuckled to herself as she watched Uncle Saotome and Akane argue with her father who was still lying down in the main room after his fall. Her sharp eyes looked to the boy in question who was freshly bathed and dressed and seemed like he wished he were anywhere else.

Nodoka and Kasumi returned to the room after hanging the remains of Ranma's kimono to dry before they could start repairs. "Soun, I can remember when I first learned of the curse, I fainted myself. It is rather startling." Whatever Soun might have said in reply as he sat, up was cut off by the elder woman.

"So Ranma, can I ask what happened between Doctor Tofu's clinic and here? I assume it was more than an accident."

"Yeah, Ohata told Kuno and Ryoga I was coming here for an engagement." His eyes gave a slightly haunted look to Akane, neither noticing Nabiki's eyes hardened.

"They jumped me when I got off the train. Kuno was playing it up like I couldn't take him, and Ryoga was distractin' me, when pig boy knocked me into a canal. Kuno still doesn't seem to get my curse, he wanted to defend me and I let him run off Ryoga and Ohata."

Desperate to change the subject he looked around the walls for a clock, "How soon do we have before we go see this other family Pop's engaged me to?"

Several in the room blinked before realizing he was still in the dark over the engagement. Nabiki got in first but addressed Akane, "Well at least the two of you are equally dumb, Sis."

Akane blushed, "He was lied to as much as me Nabiki!"

Nodoka held up her hand, "Ranma, I am sorry for misleading you my son, but the new fiancée you were to meet today was part of a promise to unite the two halves of the Anything Goes martial arts schools. Out of Soun's daughters, Akane has volunteered to be your future wife on behalf of her family."

Ranma frowned at being lied to, then looked at Akane and back at his mother.

"The engagement is to Akane?"

"Yes my son. I am sorry we lied but I thought you would reject…"

"Cool," he said with a shrug, interrupting her explanation, then looked at Akane, "Are you happy with this?"

Nodoka's eyes narrowed, almost seeing her son hiding his caution, like he was waiting for something bad to happen if he showed excitement. Akane's reaction was more obvious.

"That's it? A shrug! You're not excited? You're not mad that they lied to you?"

He shrugged again, obviously confused as to what she was mad about. "Its not like you're the first fiancée I got, what matters is the final decision."

Akane got to her feet with incredulous anger, "So I'm just another one of your 'women'!"

Ranma got up in her face, "No, but just cause you're a fiancée don't mean I get to marry ya, even if I wanted to marry ya tomorrow I couldn't just grab a priest with the other engagements not resolved, could I?"

Soun looked towards Genma, "I thought you said you had this fixed so my baby girl would be the only fiancée for your son."

"It is old friend, the families will be joined. The other engagements are just misunderstandings anyway." Genma said backing away from his old friend as Ranma looked at him with a look that said how little he believed the old man.

Nodoka looked at the men, "Genma, why don't you take Soun out for a drink to celebrate and tell him how the engagements are going to be resolved." Her tone said as much as Ranma's look, but it got the men out of the house.

Shutting the door behind them, Nodoka turned on Akane and Ranma. "Akane, Ranma, why don't you go change into your training gi and go out to the dojo, have some privacy to talk about your feelings."

Akane gave a huff and stormed out of the room while Ranma watched her go, wondering what was wrong with her. Nodoka looked at her son, "This is an important day in her life Ranma, make it one she can look back on with a smile."

Ranma's look before he left said he had no idea of how to do that.

* * *

Ranma swallowed when he walked into the dojo, his brand new fiancée giving a cry before slamming her fist through several concrete blocks. He bowed quickly to the signs at the end of the dojo and walked towards her. "Hey Akane," he ventured cautiously.

"Hey yourself!" she spat back at him, turning towards him and stepping out over the floor towards him. "So, how do you feel about being engaged to me Ranma Saotome, or is it just another day for you."

Holding up his hands he stared her down. "I'm happier about it than you seem ta be," he accused.

"Me? At least I smiled when I found out. For a moment there I actually wanted you."

"Who says I don't want you?"

"You did! You show more enthusiasm for dinner than you did out there!" With a growl, she charged forward and kicked at him.

Blocking the blow, he stepped back, before moving inside her personal space and keeping her off balance. Akane favored large power hits which needed space to wind up, this close to her she was easy to block. "It ain't like that. I do like it!" he shouted.

"Really?" She didn't sound too convinced as she tried to swing around backwards to strike him with an elbow.

Grabbing her elbow he flipped her around him, taking her to ground, using his legs to trap hers as his hands pinned hers over her head, leaving him laying on his side, beside her on her back.

"I love you!"

Akane blinked.

Ranma blinked.

Tears welled up in Akane's eyes.

Ranma wondered what the hell made him yell that. In his imagination it echoed around the dojo ominously.

Her arms snapped free of his and grabbed him up in a crushing hug, forcing him to sit up with her.

She looked up at him with a smile despite the tears running down her face, "I love you too," she said simply and moved her face closer, her eyes closing, her lips pursing.

Akane's eyes cracked open when her lips failed to reach his, closing them and tilting forward again as she saw his lips another inch ahead.

Her eye cracked open again, his lips again out of reach, his neck stretched right back. She fought down a wave of confusion and pain as she saw something similar in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry, but we, er, can't."

"Can't what?" she demanded.

"Can't kiss." His flushing cheeks didn't overcast the apologetic wince on his face.

"Why the hell not?"

"Well, when Sakura became my fiancée, she and Shampoo started trying to make me choose them physically which riled Ukyo and caused a lot of problems. To solve it, Mom made me promise I wouldn't be intimate, you know do kissing and stuff, with my fiancées, till the engagements were resolved."

Akane blinked, "But that doesn't apply to me? I mean, the mountains…" she blushed as she recalled what had happened.

"Well, you weren't a fiancée then…"

Akane blinked again and grabbed his arm, dragging him behind her as she stood and went towards the door. She found Nodoka talking to Nabiki on the back porch. The women looked at the approaching couples curiously as Akane dragged her new fiancé to them.

"Aunty…" that was as far as Akane got before she realized that she had no idea how to ask the elder woman of this.

"Did the two of you discus the engagement?"

Ranma shrugged behind her as Akane smiled widely recalling what he had said in her dojo. She turned the smile on him, her eyes looking at his lips again before she recalled this was exactly what she needed to discus with her fiancés mother. Turning back she glanced to make sure the fathers weren't around. "Yeah, we did, but there is a problem. This promise about…"

Nodoka seized on her faltering words to look at her son. "Ah yes, the broken promise."

Ranma paled looking at Akane and wondering how his Mom had found out about that. Looking back, he met his mothers gaze uneasily, "It wasn't broken really, it was a promise not to be, intimate, with fiancées till it's resolved. Akane, back then, wasn't a fiancée."

Nodoka nodded but didn't say anything for a long moment. "I can see your view my son. In a way I have been pushing you both a little hard on the issue. I am sure you didn't do it to hurt the other girls, but it would be best if they didn't find out it happened at all if it can be helped."

The pair blushed and nodded, but the little bit of the father in the son opened the mouth, "Pushing is right, what with that bit about making Akane my mistress."

Now it was Nodoka's turn to blush as the potential mistress in question turned on the big-mouthed boy. "Mistress!" she screeched, "I am no one's mistress!"

"Hey, don't blame me, it was Mom's idea."

"My son, that was a jest." Nodoka said in her defense, regretting not making that clear at the time. He certainly had her husband's sense of humor.

"A jest? Now I'm a joke?" Akane yelled, wondering when she had become an 'other woman'. She didn't have to think far. "What about the racy underwear? Why didn't you just wrap me in a bow for him?"

"That's hardly fair Akane, you did the unwrapping."

Without thought, a red-faced Akane hefted the table up and over, crashing into Ranma's head.

Nodoka frowned at the spectacle. "He somewhat deserved that. His fathers influence."

* * *

To be continued….

Finally made it to the engagement!

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Jamieson, Hpackrat, Angela Jewel, Cupids Bride, and Katie, and from the past Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, , YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Special thanks to for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter are all his work.

Last Updated: 14 April 09

Chapter 14

Akane rolled her eyes as Kasumi heaped food on her brand new fiancé's plate. Her eldest sister had been rather cold with Ranma after Nabiki spilled the beans earlier before he arrived, but after he stated he was holding to that stupid promise, her too proper sister changed her tune.

Receiving her own plate, Akane waited for her father to start off the meal before they began eating. She considered ruefully how it wasn't really a stupid promise, after all if he had been sleeping with any one of his other fiancées, she probably wouldn't have ever gotten so close to him. As her eyes glanced at his profile, watching his lips move as he thanked Kasumi, she sighed in frustration.

With a few prods, Soun finally called "itadakimasu", and the meal began, Ranma ate slowly as his mother glared, and Akane was tempted to giggle at his holding back. Fortunately, Genma was so inebriated that his efforts to eat faster were too erratic to make a difference other than to Soun's plate, the nearest in reach. Not that that stopped his wife from jabbing him sharply in the upper chest occasionally with her free hand. The patriarch of the family didn't notice, forgetting to eat with a happy smile as he sipped more of the high grade sake the Saotome's had brought as an engagement gift. At least he had stopped crying.

With a hiccup, the elder widower reached for the sake bottle to refill, only to push it over with fumbling fingers, the contents pouring quickly across the table. In almost synchronized movements, Ranma dove back from his seat, while Genma leaned enough to put his cup where the liquid poured off the table.

Nabiki looked mildly impressed at the old drunk's skill, Nodoka less so, as she automatically moved to help Kasumi clean up. Ranma, red faced as he realized he dodged a hot liquid unlikely to trigger his curse, quickly returned to his seat, poking his tongue out at Akane childishly when she sighed in amusement at his antics.

"Enough with the sighs and goo goo eyes, it's embarrassing," Nabiki hissed in Akane's ear, snapping the girl to sit up, blushing red. Nodding quickly to her sister, Akane tried to hide further embarrassment by quickly eating and finishing her plate as the wall clock chimed six o'clock, the first chime coinciding with a knock at the door. Akane, eager to escape the table and Nabiki's infuriating grin, jumped up.

"I'll get it," she stated, excusing herself quickly. Going down the hall and opening the door, Akane's heart sank as she realized that the day's embarrassments weren't over yet.

At the door, two very different women broke from glaring at each other to smile at her. "Congratulations!" they cried at the same time, both moving to give her a hug, stopping just short of jamming each other in the doorway.

"Thank you, Ms Hinako, Mrs Miyakoji. Please, come in?" Akane said reluctantly, aware of the cool winter night outside in the open doorway. "We were just finishing dinner."

Quickly removing their shoes, the women, apparently in mutual truce, moved to follow Akane back into the house.

* * *

Bowing respectfully at the two families who were just clearing the table after dinner, Shika Miyakoji affected on an air of slight embarrassment. "I was just passing by and wanted to congratulate Akane for her new engagement. Soun-chan has been so looking forward to this day."

Nodoka eyed the trim woman, still holding much of the beauty that made her a pageant winner in her youth. A couple years her elder, Shika didn't look it, and with her use of such a familiar name towards the Tendo patriarch, in front of her rival, Nodoka's eyes narrowed showing her irritation as had so regularly from the childish pursuers of her son. At least Shika was wearing a beautiful, quality kimono of floral print, with her brown hair carefully bound on her head, the much younger Hinako Ninyomia instantly earned Nodoka's dislike by being far from traditionally sedate as she knelt at the table.

On her tall and curvy frame, the educator's little black dress would have been tasteful a size bigger without so much lace exposed around the edges, her efforts blatant as she bowed as well, showing her generous cleavage as her dark hair fell like a shimmering curtain from her shoulder.

Automatically jabbing her fingers again at Genma's chest, jarring his eyes back from leering, Nodoka's eyes looked over the items both women held, especially the strange glass fishbowl atop Hinako's palm.

The statuesque young woman smiled demurely, tipping her eyes to the still seated Tendo patriarch. "I too dropped by to congratulate Akane on her engagement. I didn't think this would be too inconvenient as it would help with this busy transition, as I can help her new fiancé get ready for school tomorrow."

Kasumi gave her sister Nabiki an inquisitive glare, wondering how much the middle daughter had taken in cash from Hinako to help set that excuse up, not that it was relevant as the inebriated Soun quickly invited the women to join them.

"Please," Shika asked, "allow me to make a tea to celebrate this occasion?"

Before anyone could agree, or in Genma's case disagree to any change in the alcohol content of his beverages, Hinako brought forth a glass bottle, the cork wrapped in gold foil. "Tea would be nice, but I rather thought champagne was more fitting for such a happy occasion."

Ignoring the glare off between the older women, Nabiki let out a low, "Woh-ho, bubbly!" and dashed for the good glassware in the kitchen, followed more sedately by Kasumi.

Since Soun wasn't up to introductions, Nodoka tore her eyes from the pair of long colorful fish tussling in the bowl beside the educator to her face, "Hello, I'm Nodoka Saotome, mother of Akane's new fiancé, and old family friend to Soun and his daughters. You're Akane's teacher at school?"

Straightening up at the older woman and her obvious influence over Soun, Hinako smiled brightly, "A pleasure to meet you, I'm Hinako Ninomiya. I'm head of discipline at Furinkan High School, and Akane-chan's homeroom teacher. She's an excellent student, and I'm so glad to have her back after she was staying with you."

Squirming at the praise, Akane watched the by-play between the women, suddenly worried that Nodoka might get drawn into conflict with the pair. A sudden flash of memory passed her eyes, of Aunty fumbling her family blade when drawing it once, years ago when she visited the Tendo girls. She'd have to be ready to stand in for Aunty should the pair start another fight, as both of her father's pursuers were skilled opponents.

Returning with five long stemmed glasses, Nabiki put them out and began working on the cover and cork on the champagne bottle, releasing it with a pop. Behind her, Kasumi arrived, putting another heated sake bottle out for the fathers to top up each other's cups, while she placed two more glasses out before Akane and Ranma.

Frowning, Akane looked at the glass of apple juice. "Kasumi, why can't we have any champagne? It's not like Nabiki is old enough to drink legally either."

Filling the five long stem glasses, Nabiki smirked at her younger sister. "That's true Sis, but if I get drunk, I won't get forgetful," she stressed the last word, adding in a naughty grin.

Flushing red, Akane looked down at her apple juice, not willing to face up in case Ms. Hinako or Mrs. Miyakoji could read the previous indiscretion on her face.

Whatever Shika divined from Nabiki's words, she smiled gently and moved to help lighten the mood. "Akane-chan, I took the liberty of getting you a little something to celebrate the occasion."

Accepting the small parcel, embarrassment continuing at being the focus of attention, Akane quickly opened the tape and unwrapped it. Inside was a set of plastic containers.

"It's a moisturizing make up formula I've been using since before I was your age. It helped bring out my natural features that made me Miss Tea Ceremony, five years consecutively. It's lightweight and oil free, moisturizing for a smooth radiant finish that I had made perfectly for your skin tones. I use it every day."

"Uh, thank you Mrs Miyakoji."

"It's my pleasure dear. Its just a little something to you feel confident and in control as you deal with this new portion of your life."

Glancing at Ranma, Akane smiled gently and nodded.

Finally passing around the glasses, Genma nudged Soun into a toast for the group.

"To the uniting of the schools!"

With a cheer, those assembled around the group toasted the red-faced couple.

Smiling indulgently for Soun as Genma refilled the Tendo father's cup, Hinako put the last item she had brought before Akane. "Here Akane-chan. This is a little gift for you. Well, for both of you."

Taking the flat box, Akane lifted the lid, her eyes boggling at the racy black lace slip folded within.

"Of course you should save it for when you're ready to wear it for him," Hinako added, tracing the black lace around her neckline while trying to make eye contact with Soun.

The abundant blood in Akane's face seemed to have decided to stay permanently as she tried to slam the box shut again, only to find her hands empty as Kasumi left the room with the present.

"Careful getting her out of those lacy things Boy," Genma slurred, his eyes firmly on Hinako. "Don't want to rip 'em when you do her."

For an instant Ranma was terrified his Pop knew what had happened the weekend before, but as he watched Nodoka strike him hard in the chest again, he realized his old man would have been having been dancing around the room if he had.

At the end of the table, watching his youngest trying to hide her face under the table, a dazed Soun cried slow tears, smiling peacefully. "My babys' becoming a woman," he slurred before his eyes rolled back and he leaned over to hit the floor unconscious.

Both Hinako and Shika moved to help the fallen man, reaching hands soon interfering with each other's efforts. One hand slapped another aside, leading to three more slaps, a gripped wrist, and finally over glaring eyes, Soun was forgotten.

"Ladies," Nodoka stated confidently, "You will control yourself. Your behavior is embarrassing enough as it is."

Shika released Hinako's hand, sniffing distastefully. "Little Hinako here with her case of hot pants has no self control."

"Me? Just because your body is…"

"Enough Ladies," Nodoka said firmly. "I have enough of the seventeen year olds who pursue my son bickering like this."

The flat glare of the women didn't faze Ranma's mother in the slightest. "Now if you'd rather continue to slap each other like children, I'm sure that Soun wouldn't mind you using the dojo. Otherwise, it would be best if you…"

Picking up her tea set, Shika still managed to lead the way out of the froom in front of Hinako, picking up her fishbowl, both on their way to the dojo.

Akane let her face fall in her hand as Nodoka was left blinking in surprise.

* * *

"Aunty, they're both powerful martial artists," Akane hissed as quietly as possible as the women and Ranma all moved to the dojo.

"That's nice dear," her future mother in law replied lightly, unconcerned.

Entering the dojo, Ranma tilted his head curiously as the older women prepared, Shika Miyakoji, kneeling on the floor, gracefully but quickly laying out a tea ceremony set, while Hinako put down her plastic fishbowl, placing it behind where she would begin this battle.

Slightly annoyed with his mother's attitude, Ranma leaned over to Akane. "That woman does that Martial Arts Tea Ceremony, huh? With the kneeling running?"

"Yeah," Akane nodded. "Her son-in-law kidnapped me, training me in their family style to make me fight his fiancée so I could marry him. I learned the moves but planned to throw the fight."

Nodding, clearly uncomfortable with a surge of jealousy at what nearly happened to her, and part of his mind disappointed she'd throw a fight. He understood it was the smart move, but it still felt wrong.

"Anyway it turned out his fiancée was embarrassed to meet him, so was sending her monkey in her place."

"That's less embarrassing?"

"Hey that's what I asked her."

"Anyway once she came out, he saw how attractive she was and wanted to hold to the engagement. Like her mother, she was a Miss Tea Ceremony winner, and he was a typical perverted boy."

Shrugging, Ranma was still frowning, he never understood why people did those pageant things. Curious, he turned from the preparing battlers to his brand new fiancée. "Did you ever try out for that Miss Tea Ceremony thing?"

Flushing red, Akane's eyes were wide and wet, her emotions already overtaxed by the long week and longer day, the compliment was like a blow. For an instant she was about to hug him to the floor and kiss him till her lips fell off, when like a barrier the promise reverberated in her ears.

With a growl, Akane punched the floor, hard enough to make everyone look over at her, Ranma the most confused.

* * *

The two women standing apart in the dojo held each other's gaze, eyes warily looking in the soul of the other for a preemptive strike. The schoolteacher and the widow had fought before, and knew how the dance would begin, each prepared to vary their routine to gain an edge.

Nodoka Saotome held up her hand to get the Shika and Hinako's attention, before dropping it for them to begin.

"HappoBakuha-OuOnnenBazooka!"

Ranma and Nodoka both looked surprised at the quickly uttered attack leading to a massive blast of ki from Hinako at Shika, unsure what 'Happi's Fish Blast Revenge Wish Cannon' was other than powerful.

Shika was less impressed, predicting the first strike, bringing forth a large black tea cauldron, the circular opening to the incoming attack, catching it with a cry of "Hitoshirezu Naiou Ajiwai!"

* * *

Ranma's eyes narrowed on Shika as her 'Hidden depths of flavor" caught the blast, her kneeling stance helping her hold from being knocked back, her arms straining to hold the pot against the onslaught.

A gasp from his mother made Ranma look away from Shika to the other combatant, now appearing like a little girl, her dress hanging from her undeveloped frame. Already in action, Hinako held one hand out behind her towards her fishbowl, the other at her opponent, a five-yen piece in her hand, "Happö Go-en Satsu!"

"She turns into a little girl?" Ranma asked in a low voice to Akane, earning him an exasperated glare. He didn't notice it as he watched the little girl growing back into her clothes.

"I told you my teacher did that before," Akane said, referring to an earlier talk the pair had about martial artists they knew. "I thought Daddy was bad when he didn't realize you being cursed to turn into a girl would make you look like a girl sometimes."

"Yeah but Pop's was here with his curse. I don't know anyone who changes age like this, though really Happosai turning little girls into big-chested women shouldn't be a surprise."

"You would be looking at those, pervert!" Akane hissed angrily before Nabiki jarred her with an elbow.

"Bicker later you two."

Reined in, Akane spoke lower as they watched the pair fight on. "She was a child when Grandfather found her in hospital and helped her with the weakness that made her sick. She drains ki to be stronger, those fighting fish in her fishbowl give off an unlimited battle aura she can feed off. She's trying to drain it off Mrs Miyakoji too, but that never works."

* * *

Still kneeling, Shika held her battle aura in against the draining attack. The legendary discretion of Martial Arts Tea ceremony was earned on the back of appearing sedate and calm, like good tea, a trait that held her in good standing against the teacher's attacks. Gracefully moving against the attack from the voluptuous woman, one hand still held the cauldron like teapot, the other casually began laying out an array of teaspoons and bagged teas.

Predictably, Hinako brought her hand back, grabbing out the larger fifty-yen piece, her battle cry changing for the different tactic, "Happö Goju-en Satsu!"

As the coins changed, Shika struck, lobbing three bags of powdered tea up in long arcs at the teacher. With casual grace, she finished putting the pot again in front of her, pointing its circular opening at the beginning attack from the teacher.

* * *

"She has to drain energy through circular objects," Akane whispered to Ranma, almost gleeful at being more in the know than him about these two styles. "So the hole in the coins, the rim of the fishbowl…"

"And the opening of the tea pot." Ranma finished, nodding as the ki energy drain locked onto this second ring in its path, narrowing down, unable to reach the woman behind the pot.

Akane sighed, wondering how he could be so smart sometimes but so pathetic in school.

"So is this the woman that that you had to feel up to stop her draining?"

Wincing, Akane nodded red faced. "I didn't feel her up, pervert. The pressure points are…"

As she began to demonstrate on herself, Akane realized she didn't want her fiancé to know them and give him any excuses. "Well they just look bad where they are. And how is it you can remember a story like that but not basic English words?"

Ignoring her snappish tone, Ranma watched the fight, "Cause it embarrasses you so its funny. She's too limited in her style, she's about to lose."

"Don't count on it, idiot."

* * *

Shika watched as her slow projectiles arced on her opponent, setting one hand behind the pot to hold it in counter, her other scooped a row of tea ceremony spoons, and flung them like darts across the distance. The spread of missiles was perfect, the bulk at her opponent while three diverted towards the arcing tea bags.

Hinako ducked down, forgoing her ineffective assault to duck the deadly utensils, hearing them hit and drive into the hardwood walls of Soun-chan's dojo.

Across the room, Shika cried out, "Raining tea mist!"

"Martial Arts High School Teaching! Meteorology primer, Weather Patterns and you!"

With a graceful, leggy, spin, Hinako whipped out a high school textbook, flapping it at the descending mist of paralyzing tea powders, dispersing them back towards Shika.

* * *

"Martial Arts High School Teaching?"

"Yeah, weird huh?" Akane nodded at Ranma's question. "It's pretty soft and defensive but hard to counter. When Grandfather was getting me to seal her draining power, it has to be done every day for a month for it to hold cause it's part of metabolism."

At Ranma's hint of a grin, Akane almost wanted him to give her a perverted look so she could hit him for being a letch. "Anyway I wasn't going to do it at first before she started trying to seduce Daddy. The first time she drained me to stay adult to go to him! So I managed to get her every day for a week when she stopped coming to school. We all thought she was just avoiding me so I couldn't seal her powers then she came back, able to use the ki she drains to do these new moves."

"So now you can't beat her huh?"

Narrowing her eyes on her jerk fiancé, Akane whacked his shoulder. "Of course I can, she's just tricky."

Listening idly, Nodoka smiled quietly, her eyes on the women before her.

* * *

Shika tossed the black pot up, her hands grabbing furoshiki napkins with swift grace to flick up and about, dispersing the returning mist.

Hinako smiled darkly as she saw Shika glance to the pots position and movement, not for the first time tossing it up to act and catch it once more, but this time the school disciplinarian had done her homework.

"Martial arts Teacher-fu! Chalk Darts!"

Four inches long, the dozen chalk sticks, normally used on a school blackboard, raced towards the kneeling target, distracting her as several more followed at a higher angle.

With a series of clangs, the black cauldron pot was knocked back away from the woman, Hinako sneering as Shika frowned, both reacting to the change in situation.

"Happö Tsurisen Gaeshi!"

Hinako's form again wavered and began to regress as she shot her stolen ki towards Shika, the kneeling target falling backwards till her back was against the hardwood floor to let the attack pass harmlessly over her.

With an impressive display of abdominal strength from the middle aged woman, Shika came upright again, hands snapping off teaspoon darts to buy time as she ran on her toes, demurely hidden under her kneeling position, to close the distance with the disciplinarian educator. As Hinako's hair whipped around her in response to diving her childlike body clear of the counter attack, her focus keeping one hand towards the ring opening of the fishbowl, Shika rushed in.

Flicking a cloth napkin, the middle aged woman tried to hook over the teacher's arm to lock and hopefully flip her over, but grimaced as the educator pulled back enough that the hold slipped away.

For her part, Hinako stepped back, focusing her mind on her ki as she pulled free another school textbook. "Teacher-Fu, Biology one-oh-one, Anatomy!" she cried before slamming the hardcover into the side of Shika's head.

Even dazed, Shika managed to just dodge a follow-up slap from her opponent, Hinako's hand getting caught on her hair, the tight pinned up length spilling out and free behind her.

With a feminine shriek, all decorum and skill was discarded for choking, scratching, slapping, and hair pulling as the pair collapsed into an uncouth pile of rage.

* * *

Frowning as the two now both adult women grappled, Nodoka finally got to her feet, quickly pulling at the light Kimono she wore, revealing a second ornate outfit underneath.

Behind her, Akane leaned towards her new fiancé. "Why is Aunty wearing a dogi under her kimono? I didn't think she did martial arts?"

Grimacing in distaste, Ranma shook his head. Leaning over, he whispered into Akane's ear, the girl's eyes rolling up but she managed to not shiver in pleasure and focus on his words. "She doesn't, it's a magic fighting uniform. It brings out all the potential you have for the art. Pop's tracked it down to show me how much more potential I still had but the perverted thing only lets women wear it. Real women, not my cursed form."

Akane watched as the woman in the ornate dogi let her kimono drop to the floor at her feet, stepping clear and out of her indoor slippers, eyes still on the tussling combatants.

Ranma briefly considered telling Akane of the ornate yin-yang symbol buckle on the belt of the dogi being its weakness, but since whoever would be aiming for it would be aiming for his mother he didn't do so. His thoughts briefly wondered if the changes Nodoka had made to the rest of the suit, such as the lower shoulder pads, would weaken its power. The tone of his voice showed how little he thought of the suit. "Mom said she fixed it up cause of Happi staying here, but really she likes it. Gets overconfident in it."

Nabiki gave a whistle as she watched the older women tussling, Akane's hand automatically covering Ranma's eyes as Hinako's dress proved it wasn't made for such rolling around, moving towards her center, exposing more lace. They didn't have a chance to see how much further things might have gone when Nodoka stepped in.

Wrenching Shika off the younger teacher by her beautiful hair, Nodoka wasted no time in using the opening to kick Hinako back across the dojo floor.

Suddenly aware of this new threat, Shika struck up to break the woman's grip on her hair, lashing out with her feet to kick Nodoka. The woman in the mystical dogi casually twisted her body around the blows, dark smile turning nasty as she released the former beauty queen, timing her spin kick to catch the woman in the stomach just as she dropped to the floor to resume her classic kneeling position, sending her sprawling across the floor.

Turning back to Hinako, Nodoka saw she had taken too long, the exposed woman ignoring her state to bring up her five-yen coin.

"Happö Go-en Satsu"

A powerful surge of energy drew off Nodoka towards the hole in the coin between the fingers of Hinako's lithe hand, the teacher grinning in triumph. Her smile fell as Nodoka stayed on her feet, her outfit looking limp as she closed on the teacher still draining her power.

Realizing the speed at which Nodoka closed on her, Hinako changed tactic, dropping the coin to bring her finger and thumb from each hand together in a circle for the Ki blast of her stolen energy.

The moment that Hinako's draining attack ended, the limp fabric of the dogi lifted, Nodoka's movements surging ahead, closing far faster, a hand chop breaking the circle of the teacher's digits. What other defenses Hinako tried were battered open, a straight palm catching her in the eye, knocking her to the floor.

"Ladies, as you can see things have changed around here. I may only be a guest here but as Akane and her sisters are the most important part of Soun's life, he will see my point about not letting you behave as bad examples of proper behavior to them."

Looking over Hinako then back at Shika, Nodoka shook her head coolly. "I've had my fill of selfish teenager girls around my son for the last year, and should you insist on behaving as badly as them, this can be repeated, as often as necessary."

Tilting her head, Nodoka gave each woman a final look. "Like Soun, my priority is for his girls and the role models around them. Think of them first and I will even help you in your plans."

Turning on her heels, Nodoka strode away, pausing briefly only to collect her discarded kimono, before leaving the dojo. Immediately once gone, Nabiki glanced to the watching Akane with a teasing smirk. "So you learned your morals in Homeroom?"

Not removing her hand from over Ranma's eyes, Akane just glared back at her sister, waiting for her half dressed homeroom teacher to get up and straighten her outfit.

* * *

Coming up the stairs, Ranma saw Akane talking towards the open door the guest room, presumably with his mother. His eyes slid to the closer door, to the duck shaped nameplate with his new fiancées name on it. For an instant he was curious what might be inside, imagination visualizing pink dolls and plush animals hanging from the arms of a sparring pole.

Looking up, Akane spotted him, cutting off her talk with Nodoka early as he approached.

"Hey."

"Hey."

The door to the guest room slid closed, Nodoka apparently wanting to give the pair the appearance of privacy. Both teens knew it was only an illusion, as the older woman wouldn't even have to put her ear against the paper panels of the door to hear.

"Pop's in bed?"

"Yeah, Aunty kicked him up the stairs. That suits impressive."

"Like I said, she gets cocky when she has it on." This he said towards the door.

"You're one to talk," Akane countered, her grin matching his smirk.

A moment of silence passed, and with a huff she put her hands on her hips.

"So I'm guessing a good night kiss is against the promise?"

Frowning, slightly stung by this barrier, Ranma shrugged. "Not unless you want Shampoo and the others demanding a goodnight kiss from their fiancé?"

Growling, her heart clenching in rejection and at the same time warm with adoration of holding to the promise, Akane shook her head.

"I'd suffer through them to kiss you, if you want?"

"Excuse me?"

Ignoring Akane's exclamation with a shrug, he continued. "Then again they probably would do without if they knew I wanted to kiss you."

Lurching emotions keeping her embarrassed, Akane struck fast, her high punch into his block, a feint to open him up to the jab to the stomach, which knocked him down.

Letting him gulp breaths, she stood over him for a long moment. "If you ever think about 'suffering' through kissing them, I'll show you suffering." Turning away, she walked for her door.

"You gonna cook for me?" he gasped out.

Turning around slowly, Akane was desperately trying to find the right insult to reply to him, muscles tightening for a less verbal response. Neither came about as the door to the guest room whisked open, Nodoka's hand appearing and grabbing her son by the ear, dragged him into the room, the door slamming shut.

For a long moment heated whispers were all Akane heard before the door opened once more, and Ranma was deposited into the hall, his face red, and his hand scratching awkwardly at the back of his head.

"Ah, I'm supposed to say sorry for insulting your cooking and wish you a good nights sleep, and admit that I'll be thinking of you when I go to sleep."

Frowning at having him cowed into this, Akane looked at him.

"And just what will you be thinking?"

"Ah, hopefully nothing."

Part of Akane almost wanted him to admit some perverted thought so she could hit him again, this hurt more though.

"I mean this stupid promise was heaps easier to keep when you weren't a fiancée. If I go thinking about you in that black lacy thing your teacher got ya, it ain't so easy."

A flush of emotions through Akane left her off balance. Finally her brain latched on one thought. "Yeah, well I don't think I'm going to feel very sexy wearing lingerie my school teacher got me."

"Fair enough," he shrugged. "Lace isn't really your tomboy style anyway."

Her glare failed to affect the teasing smirk he had.

"Shut up."

Both suddenly faced away embarrassed as their bodies shivered in reaction to those two words used so many times the weekend before.

In turning around, Akane found Nabiki at her door, standing with a bowl of popcorn, a note pad, and a glossy anatomy book.

"As per our deal, you owe me one detailed recounting Sis."

"But you tricked me?" Akane defended.

Nabiki smirked. "There was no trickery in our bargain Akane, just you overvalued my effort to supply to your demand. Are you not going to honor our agreement?"

Stepping up, Ranma grunted. "What deals this?"

Blushing red, Akane pushed her sister into her bedroom, "Just some homework, sleep well."

When the door shut, the duck shaped name plate rattled against the wood, leaving Ranma alone in the hall. He wasn't sure what to think.

* * *

"Shampoo no understand. Shampoo too too stay hidden when want."

Sighing, Cologne didn't turn from her cooking.

"Firstly, no matter how good you are, your Airen's father is very good at spotting those looking for him. And Ranma is even better than him. Any hint of you, and Nodoka would have used that against you come the marriage meeting."

Using a large ladle she spooned hot ramen into bowels, garnishing with meats and an egg. "If your groom even sees a cat tonight she will be asking if it was you. Being caught in a lie will be worse for you."

"But…"

Snapping, Cologne cut her off. "Even if you had followed them, you could hardly have acted against the enemy. Were this an opponent you could fight, then spying on her skills would be appropriate. However, this is a woman you must fight for his heart. You must appear confident and dominant, not hiding behind a bush."

Seeing her purple haired heiress straighten and push her chest out, Cologne hoped she got through to her. "Now take these to the customers before they cool."

* * *

"What do you mean you failed to find them?" Sakura hissed.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. We got attacked while we were discretely following them."

Goro Orokashitei, fifth of the Delivery Boys, Sakura's personally hand picked enforcers, winced as he offered up the shuriken that had punctured his bike tire and stopped him pursuing Genma Saotome and his wife. Why did he have to be the one always delivering bad news?

Panting with anger, Sakura, heiress to the Shishimi family restaurant chain, threatened her subordinate with a pair of chopsticks, before twisting suddenly to fling her chosen weapon. The pair of wooden missles imbedding deeply in the hardwood wall, puncturing the cheek of the picture of Nodoka Saotome against the wall. Much like other wooden utensils had to the pictures of Shampoo, Ukyo, and most recently Akane. All targeted good vital spots, eyes, throat, neck, nose and temple, were covered in previously thrown chopsticks.

* * *

"I'm afraid I got caught up with some of Ms Shishimi's henchmen, Ukyo-sama. I couldn't find Ranma's afterwards."

Ukyo shrugged, kind of relieved that Konatsu hadn't come back with some description of a new girl, probably some traditional shrew, and how a story of how Nodoka doted on her. "Don't worry about it, Sugar. Sorry for making you run around all day because I was curious."

Part way through cleaning after the dinner rush, Ukyo picked up the full garbage bag to take out to the bins out the back of the building.

The moment the door shut, Konatsu sighed, but a voice from behind him startled him. "You liar."

Jumping, Konatsu looked sheepishly at Junko, as the younger girl mopped the floor. Smirking at catching her friend fibbing, she held his gaze with hers. "So what did you see?"

"Ranma-sama is engaged to Akane Tendo."

"Get out!" Junko hissed in shock, then grabbed Konatsu as he tried to leave. "Not like that, silly."

Confused, Konatsu moved past his confusion of her reaction to the more worrying problem. "Should I have told Ukyo?"

"Kami no, that'd just give her an ulcer," Junko said, shaking her dark hair. "A month or more without Ranma will really let her see she doesn't love him, or if he loves her he'll come to her. After that she may see some other guy in her life."

Giving the boy an encouraging wink, Junko went back to mopping, letting him get to cleaning behind the grill, before their boss came back.

* * *

With a growl of triumph, the traveler finally got his fire started, putting the teapot over it to heat water. He glanced to the moon lit winter sea that stretched from the shore of his native country to the island nation of the Japanese. Idly he toyed with the prize he had seized after a long battle, opening the case to see the ink, shining brightly with its many colors in the dark of the evening.

Gently putting it aside, he stepped clear of his gear to pour the heated water on his body, stretching his arms and back as he returned to being human. He lamenting not keeping some of those magnets that shrew Rogue had claimed were her power source, he'd been flying all day and boy were his arms tired.

His thoughts moved on, to another long flight to reach Japan ahead of him tomorrow, to another shrew women he knew, part of him getting warm, part of him getting angry, and part of him still a little scared.

* * *

Turning, Ranma examined his profile in the bathroom mirror again.

"If you keep preening Ranma, we're going to be late."

Turning to do the same pose for Akane, Ranma smirked, "You don't want your new fiancé to look good at your school?"

Her eyes betrayed her, tracing over him and liking what she saw, certainly an improvement in the blue uniform of Furinkan over the brown of his old school. Expecting the cocky grin when she returned to his face, she was at lease happy to catch him looking at her, her lips falling as she visualized herself in the girl's winter uniform and tights to keep her legs warm.

"Come on, comb down your hair and let's go."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

Amused at the vanity he showed, looking back to the mirror, Akane shook her head, reaching for a brush as she stepped up behind him. "The back of your head is all over the place."

"Oh, I was trying to see if I could bind it, not long enough yet."

Akane frowned, recalling him with the pigtail Kuno had cut off him over a month before when they were shopping in Ginza. Though at least she had gotten it and the one the swordsman had from cutting off her long hair so long ago, after the first fight Ranma had with her stalker.

Combing his hair, she tried to imagine which she preferred him with, short or the pigtail. As the pros and cons flicked through her mind, he stiffened, and she noticed her fingers running up the side of his head through the black length. Dropping her hand, her fingers raked lightly down his back.

Jumping forward, his breathing hard, Ranma's blue eyes flashed, electrifying Akane for an instant, before seeing him hold back. For a long moment she thought he was going to say something, before she nodded.

"Let's get to school."

* * *

Approaching the school, Ranma and Akane were in step, running on the fencing, each on opposite sides of the road. Finally seeing the gate ahead, the pair dropped to the street, coming side by side, Akane glancing at his face as Ranma looked past the archway into the grounds of his new school.

Like most Japanese public schools, it was built on the one set of core layout and plans, with the central clock, open but fenced roof, and brick walls. What wasn't common was the modern dome structure off to the side, with bright purple neon signage.

"Love dome?"

Wincing, Akane shook her head. "Ah, it's the school arena. Kuno made it so he could show off, Nabiki turned into a dating agency. Don't worry about it, we're engaged so you can't be challenged."

"Ney!"

Kuno's cry reverberated around the grounds, cutting the cool winter air to draw attention of milling students and some in the windows of classrooms to Akane and the new student beside her.

"Never! I proclaim never!" Tatewaki Kuno was red faced enraged as he rushed towards the gateway of his school. "I shall never allow such cowardly trash into my school! Take off that uniform, it shames those like I, who wear it with honor!"

Raising her eyebrow, Akane wondered when was the last time she saw Kuno in his school uniform and not the samurai hakima and pants, but was distracted by the idea of Ranma in school sans uniform. The thought of the other girls in class drooling spoiled the idea for her.

"Upperclassman Kuno, Ranma is my fiancé now. Please don't interfere in a matter of honor."

"Honor? Like a thief in the night he steals into the way of our love. Honor demands I strike him down for this heinous crime."

Raising his blade, he pointed the tip at Ranma. "Prepare thyself!"

Ranma raised his hands in defense when a new voice intruded.

"Tatewaki Kuno! The school rules are very clear. No fighting outside of the school arena."

Looking up surprised, the three students looked at Hinako Ninomiya approaching, in a tight winter dress, hands ready to punish those who broke school rules. Ranma winced at the obvious black eye his mother had given the educator last night in the Tendo dojo.

"Then I challenge thee! I shall drive you from this school and Akane's side!"

Ranma frowned, the challenge was like a battle cry that had to be answered, only he still hadn't developed a tactic to face the Kendo master. Worse his experience with arenas was that it would be a confining ring, where Kuno's blade would be near impossible to keep back from. He doubted that even if his fiancées hadn't interrupted last weeks training trip, that he would have been too focused on ways to defeat the Kuno master. His eyes turned to Akane again.

Tuning back into the moment, he heard Akane arguing over the challenge and Kuno's right to interfere. "Just shut up Kuno, you don't get any say in this," she screeched.

Ranma's head came up, a grin coming to his lips as he put his hand on Akane's shoulder.

"No problem. I got it Akane. Kuno can't beat me when it comes to you."

Akane was shocked at Ranma's choice of words, Hinako slightly annoyed at the cocky boy who suddenly reminded her of his mother. Kuno sputtered with rage for a minute, before regaining control. "To Blue Thunder Dome!"

Turning, he strode towards his arena, stopping to glare at the building still proclaiming, 'Love Dome'.

"I SAID, BLUE THUNDER DOME!"

At his cry, the purple neon flickered off, replaced by a bright blue lightning bolt.

* * *

Ignoring Kuno's glare, Ranma looked around the arena, nodding at the facilities. Akane's heart was sinking at how carefree her fiancé appeared as he again prepared to face the biggest annoyance in her life.

"This the arena?" Ranma asked, somewhat rhetorically, Kuno already standing in the fighting circle for nearly a minute while the dark haired new student took his time. Akane could see Nabiki wasn't complaining as she moved around taking bets from the growing crowd of onlookers. Some small smug part of the Tendo heir was rather gratified at the glaring of some of the male students, and drooling of some of the girls.

"Hey Kuno," Ranma said as he finally stepped up to the podium. "You really want me to defeat you here?"

"As if that were possible, knave!" Kuno spat back, pointing his wooden blade at the insolent wretch before him at the edge of the ring area. "Not only have I bested you twice since our first encounter, not only does this arena deny your rat like scurrying from facing me as a true warrior, no true challenger has ever defeated me in my arena!"

Akane sputtered as she moved up, "You liar, I've defeated you here myself plenty of times!"

"Alas those tussles were not true challenges my love, I…"

"Do you love her Kuno?"

Ranma's interrupting question, loud and confronting, silenced everyone in the arena. Even Akane, who Ranma had seen was almost ready to provoke a fight to get to beat on the kendoist herself, froze mid step, her face red as she looked at her fiancé.

"She is my future bride, my fierce tigress, my beloved. I am her true love and destined lover."

Akane was still locked up as Kuno made that declaration, her state not helped by the cocky grin and quick glance to her Ranma gave, her panic rising as she imagined him telling all what they had done the week before and striking Kuno before he could recover.

Instead, Ranma shook his head. "I don't think you do." Still smirking, the dark haired boy entered the circle marking the edge of the fighting area. Taking a position evenly inside, Ranma went down on one knee.

Kuno was startled by the move of his opponent, his face turning further red at the implication. "Ney, on your feet, I'll never accept the surrender of a deceiver such as you."

"I'm not surrendering Kuno. This is for my fiancé, Akane."

Glaring imperiously down his weapon at Ranma, Kuno shook his head. "Never, I will never allow such a travesty, to force such a pure…"

"Kuno, you gonna attack me or keep yapping?"

Watching from nearby, one of the senior girls in a black and white umpire's shirt had the good sense to drop her hand and cry out "Begin", only to be drowned out as Tatewaki Kuno cried and shot forward a step, blade stabbing with the power of his rush at his lower opponent

"Muteki Kurohyou Me-To!"

Red pink energy coalesced between Ranma's hands as he cried, pushing forward his attack, leaving an after imagine of a raging panther in its path running into his opponent.

In barely a blink, the arena's founder was flung from its ring and down to the ground.

For an instant Ranma's attack cry of "Unyielding Panther Mate" reverberated around arena as the victor stood up from his knee. Inside he felt rather giddy at the victory and power of the attack, feeling its energy swirling around his body, knowing it was less effective than the 'moko takabisha' but felt way better.

Dusting the knee of his blue slacks, Ranma smirked down at the figure outside the ring. He had been right, the move did work on the obsessed young man where his confidence based ki attack normally failed utterly. "Now I know you don't really love Akane, Kuno. Cause if you did that move wouldn't have touched you. The only way to beat that move, is if you love her more than I do."

-GASP-

Ears popping at the sudden drop in pressure from the simultaneous surprised inhale of the great many Furinkan High student spectators caught Ranma off guard. In confusion, Ranma looked to his fiancée, a smirk coming to his lips as she rushed towards him, only to turn into a grimace knowing he couldn't let them even hug, not with the promise.

Emotionally extended already, Akane rushed to hug the stuffing out of Ranma, and was almost to him when he held out his hand.

"Shake?"

Punching fast enough to crack the air, empowered with frustration and frazzled nerves, Akane's strike folded Ranma in half around her fist in his stomach.

Every female eye but Nabiki's instantly turned hard as one thought reigned in the onlookers. 'That bitch!'

To be continued…

Welcome to the chaos of Nerima.

I finally have my summary for how the remainder of the main plots and subplots left to explore or tie up ahead will complete, which is making it much easier to make good headway, and at the same time means there is a fair bit of story to go. Chapter 15 is all but final draft, and I have a couple odd one shots that have either been written in a day or finally completed recently that will be uploaded soon.

The Anything Goes Review Challenge has been a huge help to my motivation, however with my current work load I tend to end up with two weeks of nothing done and one day of writing a lot that I then need to review to make actually good. To that end I'm going to extend it to a one month limit before I must reply to your reviews with a new scene. The full terms are on my author page in .

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Jamieson, Hpackrat, new help from Muishiki, and from the past Angela Jewel, Cupids Bride, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, , YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Special thanks to for formatting changes and an interface that makes making stories readable a lot of effort.

Thanks again for reading, please review.

Trent O'Donoghue.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter is all his work.

"Um, Hi, I'm Ranma Saotome, of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

The nervousness in his voice fwas obvious as the classroom of students stared at the new comer introducing himself. For his part, Ranma was more wary of the mooning eyes of most of the girls in the class. "I'm Akane Tendo's fiancée, our fathers…" His voice trailed off as most of the class turned towards the young woman in her seat by the windows, most of the girls now glaring. Ranma could almost see the anger that had led to many rumors about him in the past.

"Hey, listen up. Lots of weird stuff has happened to me in the past, and you're probably gonna hear stuff eventually, and some people will just make stuff up too. Now I don't care what you say about me, or my Pop, but Akane, my Mom, or any other girls around me, say anything dishonorable about 'em, that's crossing the line."

At the back of the class, a tall blond haired young man stood up, smiling with white teeth. "So can't we ask what preferences the two of you share when watching pornography?"

"Mister Sanzenin, sit down!" Miss Hinako demanded quickly, glaring at the oft-delinquent student. Not that he cared as he matched stares with Saotome, ignoring the instructor with the shiner she had failed to cover up with makeup.

"I still owe you and your fiancée for that," Ranma warned Mikado, recalling the humiliating incident up in the mountains.

"You challenging me?" Mikado smirked.

"No, he isn't," Akane stated, cutting off Ranma. Ignoring the glare from her bristling fiancé, she glared at Mikado. "You just want him to challenge you so you can demand he fight you on ice-skates."

Mikado shrugged, affecting a bored attitude at the accusation, internally embarrassed at being so obvious.

Akane glanced to her fiancé, then back to the blond boy with a confident grin. "You're on. Ranma and I, verses you and Kodachi, Martial Arts Ice Skating. Saturday after next.

"You want to challenge us to a pairs match? Against Black Gold?"

"You got it Golden boy," Ranma stated.

"That's Golden Star to you," the blond young man stated, pointing at Ranma. "I accept, you are…"

A tug on Mikado's hip made him looked down at the short, black clad, ninja suddenly standing there. Squatting down, the pair had a hushed whisper, the manservant of the Kuno family holding an open diary they referred to, going back and forth.

Standing once more, Mikado glared at the pair. "We shall meet on the ice on the first Saturday of January. Kodachi and I are going away for a major meet in two weeks."

Hinako nodded, "And that would be after the School Christmas dance."

Ranma looked nervously at the teacher, then glanced at Mikado. "You're on."

Turning back to Hinako, Ranma frowned, "Ah, this dance isn't compulsory is it?"

"Ranma!" Akane cried, hurt by his apparent reluctance.

Rather than answer, the instructor smiled gently. "I'm sure you two will have fun," she stated, her eyes distant as she imagined herself dancing with Soun on Christmas eve. She just had to convince him to be a chaperon with her of course. Christmas eve in Japan after all is one of romance. She'd just have to make sure Soun went a little Western so she could unwrap the present she wanted.

* * *

The ringing of the first bell signaled the end of first period and English, a short break occurring before the bell for second period would commence while the teachers moved to the next class they would be teaching. Normally this movement was accompanied by some students rushing for a quick bathroom break or other errand, but the first students to move were not going for the door, several of the girls converging on Akane.

Akane looked at the group moving up, amused as they stopped unsure with her new fiancé sitting right in front of her, but since her friends Yuka and Sayuri were leading them she didn't think she'd be able to avoid them for long. Better they get a couple minutes now, rather than she lose all of recess or lunch with Ranma.

"Back in a second," she said to Ranma who idly nodded.

Glancing at the resigned expression on Akane's face as she was cut off from view by a circle of girls, Ranma figured it was typical girls after new gossip, part of him taking a little pride that more girls couldn't wait to get the scoop on him.

"Dish," Sayuri stated flatly, her penetrating eyes on her old friend. Akane had returned to Nerima only two weeks ago not sharing the full story of where she had been. Worse the first week back she had been angry, then a week of moping, and now her friend was practically glowing, not just a hunky boyfriend, but engaged as well.

Unable to keep the smug smirk off her lips, Akane shrugged at the staring girls. "I told you about how I was off training with Ranma. Well that's him. That's all I thought it was, but it was actually a set up by his mother to let us get to know each other. I got a crush on him, he fell for me, then yesterday we found out his family was the one my father made an arranged marriage with before we were born."

"And he said he loves me," she sighed out with a pink glow and toothy smile, looking to see the young man in question.

Several of the girls smiled, looking to Ranma, but Yuka looked at Akane confused. "So why did you hit him after he beat Kuno?"

As two of the girls heads looked back on her with glaring eyes, Akane was almost worried that they got whiplash. Holding up her hand, she struggled with her words, "That's, ah, hard to explain."

"Try," Yuka urged with a smirk.

"It's a long story."

"Give us the abridged version," one of the other girls stated.

Sayuri gasped suddenly, "Oh kami, Akane no. Tell me it isn't…"

Panic shot up into Akane's throat as Sayuri jumped to a conclusion that could be embarrassingly right.

"You really are a sadist and he's a masochist!"

Akane and the other girls picked themselves up off the floor, the young Tendo shaking her head. "No! It's nothing like that!"

Looking for help, she glanced to Ranma, but he was hidden from view by the boys of the class talking to him.

* * *

With Akane moving with the girls towards the back of the class, Ranma saw two male students moving towards him. He held less hope in making friends of boys who were looking for gossip, but he had been idly hopping to make some decent guy friends with a fresh start at a new school. Although something in the way these two walked reminded him of a couple guys who made like friends to him to get closer to Sakura or Shampoo and make a pass at them. "Hey," he stated as they approached.

Rather than stand over him in his seat, the pair squatted to eye level, smirking. "I'm Hiroshi."

"And I'm Daisuke"

Before Ranma could say his own name, the blond Hiroshi continued. "So if you're engaged to Akane, and you were the guy that we saw beat Kuno over in Juban two months ago…"

"And the guy who won the Juban open martial arts tournament on TV," Daisuke added.

"So aren't you engaged to Sakura Shishimi?"

Ranma stopped suddenly, glancing to the circle of girls across the room, squirming at how to answer the awkward question. Instead, Mikado answered for him.

"And on the ski trip Akane said Sakura wasn't his only fiancée either."

Glaring at the blond classmate, Ranma shrugged. "Okay, technically I have more than one fiancée, all of them arranged marriages."

"You have three fiancées?" Hiroshi asked.

Wincing, he shrugged. "Actually five, but I ain't met the last one yet. In January we have a meeting to decide who I actually will marry. I didn't know Akane was one as well till yesterday, but the promise between our families is the oldest, and I want her to be the one."

"Are they all as hot as Akane and Sakura?" Daisuke asked, his eyes unfocused as he imagined some vista of five hot girls, Ranma snapping his fingers to get his attention off the imagined Akane.

"Hey, of the ones I know, they're all cute except for Sakura, I'll guarantee she won't be my wife."

"Why? Her calendar is hot! Did she dump you? Is she single?" Hiroshi asked in an overly hopeful voice.

"If you want I'll introduce you," Ranma said, noticing one girl moving from a seat near them towards the group of girls. Like watching a car crash, the girl weaved through the group to Akane in their center.

"He said what?" Akane's voice cried out.

The ringing of the class bell ended any further denials, the girls all-moving to their chairs as Mr Unzari came in to teach geography.

* * *

Groaning as he got to his feet, Genma Saotome frowned, looking at his body. He wondered why he felt so sore, having obviously slept well into the morning. He knew he and Soun had been drinking, celebrating the joining of the schools, but after that was a little hazy. He certainly didn't recall getting in a fight.

Moaning at the effort of sitting up, he finally struggled to his feet. Opening his pajama top, he looked at the bruises on his chest and stomach. "If that ungrateful boy took a cheap shot at me…" he grumbled assigning blame.

Shuffling through the house, he finally reached the bathroom, seeing the sign on the furo door saying occupied. "Soun, that you in there?"

His wife's voice called out from within. "I am, Husband."

A slight smirk on his face, Genma straightened up and knocked on the door to the bath. "Are you alone? I could join you dear?"

"No Husband, I'm not alone in here." Smirking at the image of Soun's fine daughters inside as well, he toyed with opening the door, hearing the water splash as someone emerged from the furo within.

"So who is in there with you?"

"An old friend actually. One moment." A minute passed as Nodoka dried herself, before reaching for her companion waiting away from the water. A flash of light through the thin door made Genma furrow his brow, but then the door slid open, revealing his wife drying her hair with a towel while wearing the magic dogi.

"Good morning Husband, did you sleep well?" Nodoka asked with faux cheer at the shocked look on his face.

Sputtering with shock, Genma backed away from the suit. "I thought it was destroyed!" he cried, recalling the last time he had seen this suit and the battle it had taken to get it off his wife. It had been a miserable three months of his life, and equally miserable for his Master Happosai. Finally during another fight he had used a low blow, well a series of them, to leave her open for him to hit the yin-yang buckle in the uniform's belt for what he thought was final victory.

"After you defeated me last time and it fell apart, I decided to repair it to return it to the monastery, but when sewed back together it came to life once again. I tore it and left it packed in the attic, expecting one day to need it again to remind my husband to think before he acts."

Mulling over that insult, Genma missed Nodoka walking out, leaving him now knowing what caused the bruises he was feeling, and knowing there were more to come.

* * *

"Why did you tell the boys your harem are all cute and hot?" Akane accused.

Ranma was more than surprised because the ring of the bell for the morning break just rang when Akane turned on him. For one instant he though her head just rotated backwards on her shoulders like a demon.

"Hey, I didn't say nothing about hot, but they knew about Sakura, and Mikado spilled some more so I had to tell some of the truth. And it ain't like I'm blackening my honor with this mess already without going around saying Sakura is a bitch."

"So you just said they're all hotter than me?"

"I never said hotter!" Ranma said loudly, both freezing as all eyes of the emptying classroom turned to them.

Both stiffly stood up to exit the room, but it was just as Akane reached the door, that Ranma bumped close to his angry fiancée, taking the chance to whisper in her ear under the noise of the other students. "You know more than anyone which fiancée I find cutest."

Blushing hotly, Akane moved down the hall ahead of him, imagining his eyes on her while she struggled to control her face.

Ranma smirked at her embarrassment as they walked from class towards the school doors, resisting the urge to tuck back a curl of dark blue hair near her ear, hoping she'd look to him rather than around the area.

For her part, Akane was certain a trap was building, a bunch of girls all watching the pair approaching their shoe lockers to change to outdoor shoes. With a certain trepidation, Akane opened her locker with a quick action, sighing at finding nothing.

"Guh!"

Ranma's cry made Akane spin around, looking at the letters flooding out of his shoe locker. Her heart started to sink as the watching girls all began to rush for the door, leaving in a quiet struggling race.

"What are these?"

"Challenge letters," Nabiki said, walking up with another stack in her hand to give him.

"Challenge letters?" he asked in a disbelieving voice. A smirk started to grow on his lips as he collected them up like a child with presents, bright eyes looking to Akane. "This school is awesome."

Nabiki grinned widely, "Yes, love letters have become a popular way to issue challenges from the girls."

"Girls?" Ranma asked as his face fell.

"Nabiki! Ranma is my fiancé, we are a couple. He can't be challenged!" Akane stated angrily.

"I know Sis, and I wish I could do something about that, but it seems that you aren't able to register your relationship at the moment," she replied smirking. "Remember that technicality? And after what Ranma said to Kuno and your reaction, most girls think they can win him from you."

"But I don't fight girls." Ranma stated dumbly.

"I do," Akane stated, venting her anger off her deserving sister to the challengers to her man.

* * *

Stepping onto the Love Dome floor, Ranma and Akane saw a great many of the girls, some from their own class, and even a few in the uniforms of other schools arrayed in the queue on the other side. Many had changed from school uniforms, a few to martial arts gi's, a few in sporting out fits down to the girls in summer tennis skirts. More had gone for pretty casual wear, though one of the more forward and developed seniors had gone with a bikini, and the girl beside her in a trench coat and a blush made Akane even more nervous.

Akane glared again at the troublesome young man who she was about to champion, growling at the attention he was getting. "Okay, who's first?"

One girl, a senior from the track team by the look of the sports outfit and runners, looked at Akane with shock. "I challenged him."

"And I'm his fiancée, so I'm his champion."

The brunet looked to Ranma with a hopeful smile. "Ah, are you sure?"

Ranma shook his head trying to be firm. "Akane is my fiancée."

Her head falling, the girl walked up to the ring as Akane entered a little too happily as she cracked her knuckles. She nodded to the senior in the black and white umpires shirt.

"Be…"

Even before the referee finished calling begin and dropping her hand, the girl had jumped out of the ring before Akane could get her.

"…gin."

Frowning at the embarrassed girl leaving her in victory, Akane waved to the next head of the queue, several of which had moved backwards in order letting others cut in front.

"Next up?"

Dressed in a gymnastics leotard, the captain of the Furinkan Girls Gymnastic team stepped up, eyes warily on Akane but didn't step into the ring. "Ranma-san, are you sure you don't want to fight me yourself?"

Akane's glare told him the answer he was already planning to give. He gave the challenger a shake of his head. "Sorry, I don't like fighting girls so it's up to her."

Nodding at his response, Akane took a ready stance in the ring.

"And I get to fight the guys who challenge her," Ranma added.

"Excuse me?" Akane said, turning on Ranma, "I never agreed to that."

"It's only fair."

"So? You don't fight girls. I do fight boys. I let you fight Kuno."

"He challenged me over you. That's different."

Years of losing to Kodachi Kuno at Rhythmic Gymnastics Martial Arts had been a bad influence on Akane's challenger, slinking in the ring she signaled silently for the referee to being the match. Rushing at Akane's turned back as the referee called 'Begin!', she nearly reached the dark haired girl to push her out of the ring.

"Well you still aren't championing for me on fights I want to fight," Akane said continuing the argument, even as she side stepped her attacker, grabbed her arm and flung her onwards out the ring and to the floor.

"But I'm your fiancé!" Ranma claimed like it made him right.

"And I'm your student. I need the practice more."

Smirking as Ranma's face showed he was trying to come up with a better argument, Akane turned her back on him and waved on the next opponent.

This time it was a petite freshman in a neat clean crisp school uniform that stepped up, nervous but holding her head high. "Ah, before you decide to allow Akane-san to be declare herself your champion, I just wanted to say I get 'A's in Home Economics and I'm an only child, my Father owns a modest but profitable company that makes…"

Akane's eyes were wide as the shorter young girl tried to sell herself to her fiancé, only to be cut off by shouts from others in the queue of challengers.

"My father is CEO of a major company!"

"My family owns a brewery!"

"I have a trust fund!"

Nabiki was busily writing down details as the girls shouted them, just for future record, her smirk growing as she heard Ranma mumbling while closing his eyes and sticking his fingers in his ears. "Gods I hope they don't go talk to Pops."

Seeing Ranma trying to make himself insensate, Akane tried to control her temper as she walked to the edge of the ring and dragged the short freshman into the ring by her hair.

"My twin sister and I share everything!"

Seeing Akane's face as she stumbled hearing that comment from the other challengers, the referee quickly called 'Begin' and dropped her arm to start the match, ignoring the struggles and cries of the victim in the champion's hands.

"I have no gag refl…"

"THAT'S IT!" Akane cried, her head blowing out and turning demonic as she glared at the challengers, idly swinging her current opponent around by her legs, threatening the rest with this girl, like she was a weapon. "WHO WANTS TO TRY AND TAKE MY FIANCE?"

* * *

Ranma smirked as he watched Akane race up to her room. She had not be pleased with the attention he had gotten from the girls of Furinkan High and even other schools who had come to Love Dome after school. His thoughts were of amusement as her anger wasn't focused at him, and how she should be pretty happy she has got such a stud, conveniently ignoring the jealousy he felt earlier at her being challenged by the boys of the school.

"Boy, it's time to train."

Genma's gruff voice got his attention, not so much for the words, but because if it was really training he would have ambushed him. "So you who gonna spar with Pop? You found some twelve year old who you can beat since I left you in the dust?"

"Get outside, Boy, in the dojo."

With a shrug to cover any curiosity in the Old Man's tone and what he might say, Ranma followed the older man through the house, across the path and into the dojo.

Turning slowly, Genma glared at his son. "Why the hell is your mother back in that accursed dogi?"

Smirking, Ranma relaxed. "Geez Pop, you can't figure it out?"

"You said you had gotten rid of the scraps after I got her out of it last time?"

Blushing red recalling how Genma and Nodoka had been making out after that battle, he found his mind automatically drifting to 'celebrating' with Akane like that some time in the future. Shaking it off, he looked back at the old man. "I binned them, but Mom went and got 'em again. She had 'em up in the roof till she said we were comin' here. She says she wanted it in case she needs ta beat up on the old goat, but probably you."

"Me," Genma whined, "Why me? I haven't done anything wrong."

Ranma looked at his father almost disappointed. "Your kidding right Pop? You didn't listen ta her about setting me and Akane up, but then you ogle up Akane's teacher last night? And your surprised she is laying blows in ta ya? Come on."

"Watch your tongue, Boy," the older man growled, taking a swipe with his fist to test Ranma's defenses.

Leaning out of range, Ranma smirked back. "I just figured a slow old man like you had some clue to how women think by now."

Genma charged, ready to counter an expected kick to his belly, only to find Ranma dropping low sliding in.

Sliding on the wood floor, Ranma struck fast, scissoring his legs to kick his father's stance apart. Lashing up with is foot, he kicked Genma up, catching him on the souls of his feet to launching the older man out the dojo door into the yard.

Following his father out of the dojo at a slow pace, Ranma saw Akane and his mother sipping tea on the edge of the engawa, Akane hanging her legs off the veranda while his mother sat on her shins. Giving the pair a smile and wave, he waited, letting Genma get back to his feet before moving in to show off for his audience.

* * *

Nodoka's brown eyes ignored the brutality of her husband and son practicing with each other in the Tendo yard, instead looking over the profile of the young woman soon to become her daughter. As the cute pout of the girl became more of a frown, Nodoka's eyes glanced to the fighters in concern. "What is it?"

"He's hitting his father hard."

"Well don't think of it being disrespectful Akane-chan, it's just…"

"Oh I don't. It's just that Ranma won't hit me like that. He's holding back but I can take it."

Tilting her head, keeping in mind Akane was her choice for her son regardless of little quirks, Nodoka chose her words carefully. "I would like to think Ranma always has a gentle hand with someone he cares about, like you." The sudden blush on Akane's cheeks as the young woman looked at her hands in her lap reminded the older woman of when she thought fondly of the her husband like that.

Controlling her thoughts, Akane focused on being upset with Ranma and put it into words. "How can I ever be my best if he is holding back when I can take it? He trains me in all sorts of wonderful styles and forms but holds back because he thinks I can't take it. It's insulting. I'm a martial artist too."

"Yes you are, and he does respect that. I think it really matters to him."

"It's more than that though. If he doesn't make me as tough as I can be, I might get hit hard and even if not injured I could lose my temper, like I did when I was a child."

Nodoka gave her an odd look. "Is that really a concern, Akane-chan? I would think your temper was so much better than when you were younger. You let Ranma get to you too much but after his years on the road, he is just growing out of teasing you because he likes you. A lot of that growth is because of you, of course."

Akane nodded, still concerned, thinking about losing her temper in Love Dome today, shifting how she sat on the wood of the veranda.

A loud splash got both women's attention as Ranma smirked in victory over the now Panda occupying the garden koi pond.

"Too easy?" he asked them cockily before looking back at the panda. "Come on Pop, Akane gives me a better workout than this."

Had Genma been less angry and more observant, he might have noticed the two blushes the newly engaged couple shared at Ranma's choice of words.

* * *

Dragging Ranma by the hand, Akane ran. From the moment the end of day bell rang, Akane had rushed them out of school and not stopped. After two days of not getting away from school before the winter sunset had begun because of stupid love dome challenges, theis time when Akane had the chance she fled before any other idiot challenged her or her fiancé.

Finally slowing, her breath puffing slightly, she turned to look at her man, his breathing normal, not even phased by the run as he looked around the street.

With a huff, she pointed up the street. "Come on, this is the first day we have a chance to get to the ice rink and practice our skating for fighting Kodachi and Mikado next month. We have to get there before either of us is challenged again."

Shrugging, Ranma let her keep holding his hand as she pulled along on the cool but sunny day.

"I thought you wanted to show me around when we finally got off early like this."

Glaring at him, Akane yanked on his arm to bring him up beside her. "Fine, there is a yakitori shop, over there a women only bath. Down that street is where Yuka lives."

The bemused smirk on Ranma's lips didn't improve Akane's mood. "You want more. There is a laundry mat, over there the train station, and that's a love hotel…"

Wincing as the blood rushed to her face at loudly pointing out such a building in public while dragging a boy behind her, Akane started leading the way again.

Wisely keeping his mouth shut, Ranma wondered how long it would take the rivals and others from storming in if he and Akane did go inside such a place. Looking around the path ahead, he saw a large shrine entrance.

"Nice Shrine," Ranma stated, if only to make conversation.

"Oh crap," Akane muttered to herself, tilting her head down and pulling Ranma along faster. It was in vain as a tall priest walked out of the shrine's gate, in traditional garb with the tall hat and white robes, and a gong held lightly in his hand. The moment the priest with his heavy makeup saw Akane, he burst with a joyous smile.

"Hail! Hail the Demonslayer!"

-gong-

Akane was getting really annoyed with the embarrassment life was heaping on her of late. She tried to speed up further but Ranma held her hand as he slowed.

"Good fellow," the priest proclaimed. "You have the honor of holding hands with a mighty demon slayer who ended a grave threat to this world."

-gong-

"For while our shrine did its duty, holding the demon in its prison as was made by the Priest who was also a Monkey, it was this innocent, pure and holy girl who vanquished the monster for all time."

-gong-

"Be sure to treat her right, and never visit such a defiling place as that," he stated, his hand with the gong beater pointing at the purple lights on the love hotel. "For heaven will punish one who mistreats this child before marriage."

Ranma grinned, impressed that Akane had done such, and amused at her embarrassment at the priest's antics.

"Well, I'm her fiancé, and we're going that way, not to the hotel. So bye."

Ranma had barely finished speaking when Akane said "Bye" and raced down the street, dragging him away from the kooky priest.

* * *

Tired, Ryoga Hibiki let out a sigh at the sign for Furinkan High School. He had finally found it again.

As a pair of girls exited in the blue uniform he remembered, he stood up straight, touching his striped bandanna as if to straighten it, smiling shyly in case it was Akane Tendo. When it wasn't her, he sighed again.

"Hey."

The voice behind Ryoga startled him, turning him suddenly to find a blond guy looking at him, wearing the blue Furinkan male uniform.

Mikado Sanzenin eyed the young man before him, frowning at the dirty dusty clothes and the wilted flowers he held. "Aren't you the guy who had a date with Akane Tendo?"

Ryoga almost reeled at someone else saying what he hardly believed was happening to him, but managed to straighten. "Ah, yeah, I'm Ryoga Hibiki. Do you know where Tendo-san is? I've got to apologize for…"

"Fortunately for you," the blond said, cutting him off with a white smile. "Akane couldn't make that date either, so you still have to go out with her."

"Really?" Ryoga squeaked happily, then frowned. "Wait, you know about that date?"

Mikado smirked, looking forward to playing with that cocky Ranma's little mind, and setting up Tendo to be a little vulnerable. "I'm Mikado Sanzenin, and Akane is a friend of mine."

Gesturing at the setting sun, Mikado shook his head. "I saw Akane leaving earlier. It's up to you, but I think Akane would be happier meeting you once you've cleaned up. Would you like to bath and prepare at my fiancée's place?"

Smiling widely, Ryoga nodded eagerly, things were really looking up.

* * *

-BANG!-

Ryoga Hibiki frowned, wiping his face with his spotted bandanna.

A week after taking a beating from that wannabe swordsman when he had turned on Jiro and himself, and a week of living in the back room of the small house in Bokuto, Ryoga Hibiki had thought the day was looking up when Ukyo-chan replied to the love letter he had sent her earlier in the week. The fact that when he opened the envelope, her reply exploded in his face, was not promising.

'She was such a passionate girl,' he thought.

Toko frowned, looking at the mess made around his Mom's kitchen, "She's your girlfriend, you're cleaning this up."

Ryoga slumped at the table moaning at how bad his life was.

* * *

Walking sedately towards the ice rink building, Akane's face was still red, waiting for Ranma to ask the inevitable question.

"So you killed a demon. That's cool."

"We didn't kill it. Happosai sealed it, we told them we killed it because it can't escape from its prison this time and will die, but we didn't want them hanging around guarding it like they had for hundreds of years."

Shrugging, surprised that Akane was so embarrassed about lying to a priest, Ranma tilted his head. "So where did Happosai seal it? Please don't tell me it's in a pair of panties."

Akane looked at Ranma, trying to be mindful of Ranma and his anger for her other teacher, Happosai. "Happosai saved my life when he sealed it. I lost control and it possessed me more than it did anyone else. If he hadn't saved me, I still would be possessed."

Chilled by the seriousness of how she reacted, still dealing with the evil and selfish master martial artist saving someone else, Ranma looked directly at her. "Where is it?"

-splash-

A passing truck driving through a puddle of water splashed up on Ranma, missing Akane completely.

The redheaded girl in the Furinkan boy's uniform looked up with a frown.

Akane was sympathetic, "They have hot water inside."

* * *

"So how do you plan to kiss Akane Tendo?"

Ryoga went so red at the question, Mikado wondered if he might keel over dead on the spot.

"I, that is, it's just a first date, and from a fight, maybe on a fourth or fifth…"

"Wrong."

Mikado's voice cut through Ryoga's embarrassed babbling.

"Rule number one, everything comes down to the kiss."

Ryoga looked up at the words.

"Where you take her, what you talk about, what you give her, what you eat, how you dance," Mikado stated with a vaguely wistful expression. "You do it all to set up the kiss."

Swallowing and slightly in awe of the seriousness this guy spoke of the subject, Ryoga nodded slowly. "Um, so at the end of the date?"

"Wrong again. That's a beginners mistake," Mikado said, smiling to himself as he lifted a biscuit from the tray Sasuke had put out for the two of them in the atrium. "Never ever wait to kiss at the end of the date. If you are kissing her only at her door, it is a kiss goodbye. You failed. Game over."

Casually leaning back, Mikado nodded to himself. "The so called 'experts' claim that it is all about communication. The truth is that everything that the girl wants from you, you tell her in the first kiss, so the sooner the kiss, the better for both of you."

Looking over at his nodding student, Mikado grinned with white teeth. "What do you think I mean by that?"

Ryoga shook upright at the question, his brain still processing the concepts he had never really thought about that the young man was putting forward. "Ah…"

"It means that you need to know what the girl wants when you kiss her. You need to let her know you are the best thing that ever happened to her, that she'll never want another man after you."

Swallowing his dry throat, Ryoga made no move to reply to this.

Mikado gave him another look over. "You also have to be confident in yourself. How about you go use the bath and clean up before we move onto more practical training?"

* * *

Akane gave up sympathy, laughing as Ranma fell on his back for the fifth time. He could stand on a person's head, he could walk around the house on his hands, and she had even seen him run along a power line. But skates were some new weakness for him.

"It isn't that hard Ranma," she stated, gliding around him on the ice as the music played gently for the skaters. "Don't try to force it. Go with it."

The set of Ranma's face almost made her groan, he was going to try and power his way through this again.

Scanning over the rink, populated with many students around their age and younger, he saw a break in the circling groups. Kicking up to his feet, Ranma dug in with his skates, driving forward at a run to get the speed to stay upright.

"Yes!" he cried with a punch to the air.

"Ranma!" Akane cried after him, glad he was happy but seeing a problem with his plan. "Slow down and turn!"

Crossing the ring quickly, Ranma had already seen the need to do as Akane warned. The problem was he had no idea how.

Shooting across the gap in the circling skaters he had aimed for in case he lost control, he leaped at the last minute, pushing off the plastic siding boards to change his momentum and send him more on the right track.

Or at least he would be on the right track if the pursuing Akane wasn't in the way.

With a crash the pair impacted and fell to the ice.

The music cut off with a quick ripping sound as the public address system boomed out, "The acrobat and his girlfriend, leave the ice, you're banned for thirty minutes."

Center of attention once again, an embarrassed Akane dragged Ranma towards an exit from the ice, her fiancé focused on reviewing his speed attempt and watching the technique of other skaters. Akane's embarrassment rose seeing Yuka, Sayuri, and some of the others from her class at the exit gently applauding them getting in trouble.

* * *

Enjoying the luxurious bathroom, Ryoga scrubbed at his skin, cleaning the travel grime off with fast efficiency. This was nicer than any bathhouse he had been in and it was in this guy's house. Well, his fiancée's house anyway.

Looking around the chamber in wonder at the artistic trimming and furnishings, his eyes flowed over the detail, right down to the lion head porcelain faucet, hot water pouring from its mouth into the furo.

Distracted, he didn't realize how cool the water in the wash bucket had become before he felt his body change under the rinsing water.

Still, the piglet in the tiger print bandanna didn't it get him down, there was all that hot water in the furo if he could just find it.

Humming to herself after a successful training day in Rhythmic Gymnastics after school, Kodachi Kuno opened the door to the bathroom, peeking in to make sure her foolish brother was not inside, slightly disappointed that Mikado wasn't.

Entering fully, she looked at the unoccupied chamber, frowning at the soapy sitting stool and wash things left beside an overturned bucket. Obviously her brother had left them for the help to clean up, she consider with a frown before reaching to the shoulder straps of her leotard.

The little black pig in the corner away from the steaming bath, still looking for hot water, stared bug eyed at the black haired girl. Ryoga wasn't one for a lot of forethought, but as the woman stripped off a leotard down to her underwear, he had a terrifying vision of Mikado's angry face as he told Akane what a pervert he was.

"Bweee!"

Kodachi stopped her actions at the sound, surprised to see a black piglet running around her family's bathroom. Thoughts of a free meal for her pet, 'Mr Green Turtle', had barely formed when the animal jumped into the hot water of the furo, the water surging as it was displaced by a lot more mass.

Expecting the pig to start panicking and drowning, Kodachi was caught off guard as the bare young man rose from the water, his hands over his eyes, "Please stay dressed. Don't undress yet."

Kodachi pouted, insulted that she wasn't worth peeking on, rather than angry at his sudden appearance, though the muscled chest gleaming wet and clean caught her breath. "Might I have the name of the stranger in my bath?"

"Sorry, I was bathing, ah, I'm Ryoga Hibiki. Sanzenin-san said I could use your bath."

Relaxing at his excuse, Kodachi smiled for her fiancé's new friend, though it was slightly surprising that Mikado had a friend who wasn't lecherous enough to peek on her. "I'll leave you to finish up then."

With a final glance at the waterline doing a poor job of hiding the embarrassed boy, she turned for the door, about to close it when another thought occurred to the Kuno heiress. Grabbing a towel to wrap around her body, she turned back to the naked young man.

"Ryoga-kun? You wouldn't know a Ranma Saotome would you?"

"That jerk? Because of him I have seen hell!"

Not expecting the slight smirk on the woman's lips, Ryoga was confused as she shut the door and leaned on it, looking back at him as he tried to cover up in the large bath. "So how does this change thing that you and Ranma do work?"

* * *

"Man, if I had a girl glaring at me like that, I'd be sure I was dumped."

Ranma shrugged at Hiroshi's words, glancing to Akane as he drank from a soda can. "It's cool. Akane's had a pretty stressful week is all. This is her home so its far more pressure on her, and being engaged ta me has its own difficulties."

"Like what? The four other girls who want you?"

"They are part of it. I ain't no expert but I don't know any girl who likes to share. Akane especially."

"Do the other girls at least not yell at you or hit you?"

"If you get a girl who wants to marry you who never gets angry with you, she ain't being honest." Taking another drink, Ranma smirked. "Besides, not knowing if she wants to hug me or injure me keeps me on my toes. It's good practice."

A flashing of light and movement caught Ranma's attention, glaring brightly out of a doorway, a small area of the building for arcade games. Among the flickering lights and arcade sounds, a young teenager was erratically moving his legs around on the platform before one game.

Standing up and nodding to the two guys with him to follow, he moved over to look at what the boy was doing. "What's that?"

Daisuke glanced in the door. "Dance Dance Revolution? It's a dance game. You know, it shows you on the screen how to make you move your legs to dance to the moves. A lot of people like it."

Ranma grinned as he recalled the teacher's words of the upcoming school Christmas dance, a dance Akane definitely wanted to attend. Fishing in his pockets, he pulled out some coins.

"Keep an eye out for Akane, I don't want her to see me on this."

Hiroshi glanced to the girls talking puzzled. "Why not? It's just an arcade game."

"Just trust me."

* * *

Ryoga followed Mikado through the massive house, down stairs several levels to the indoor dojo of the estate. Trophies lined one wall, broken up by suits of vintage samurai armor and weapons, another wall was of kendo armor and tools, and a third was a long series of large panel mirrors. Finally training dummies lined the far wall. Several were destroyed, cut down to the stump, tattered remnants yet to be cleaned, and the eyes of the boy in the tiger print bandanna narrowed on the red tatters, the color reminding him of the silly Chinese shirts Ranma always wore.

One on the end was different that then rest, intact and well made, more of a manikin, and certainly similar in appearance to Akane Tendo.

"You have a training dummy that looks like Akane?"

Mikado shook his head causally, "No, my future brother-in-law has a thing for a girl who looks much like Akane," he lied outright.

"He has a thing for a girl and likes to hit a training dummy of her?"

"You've never had a girlfriend have you?" The blond young man smirked. Shaking his head Mikado turned more serious and a little disgusted. "Neither has he. Worse still, ever since he saw that Mask of Zorro film, he likes to dress her up before he practices."

"Okay…" Ryoga said at length, having no idea what that meant. His lack of understanding became a non issue as Mikado used a handkerchief to wipe at the lips of the Akane inspired dummy.

"Ready to learn to kiss, student? Step on up."

* * *

Walking out of class, Ranma's eyes narrowed as he kept Mikado Sanzenin within view. He had caught the blond young man glancing at Akane often through the morning.

"Ranma, are you coming?"

Glancing to his fiancée, Ranma nodded, passing her the bento his mother made this morning. "I'll be with you in just a minute. I gotta check something."

"What's wrong?"

"I'll tell ya when I know," he said flippantly with a grin, before heading off in pursuit of the blond figure.

Moving around the back of the building, Ranma caught sight of Mikado ahead talking to Sasuke, the diminutive ninja nodding as he accepted a slip of paper. He closed enough to just to hear the end of instructions being given.

"…make him memorize this, then get him in position after school."

With a nod, the Kuno manservant ran off, quickly vanishing on his mission as Mikado smirked.

-splash-

A cascade of water caught Ranma unaware, making him curse and glance up to the empty window, imagining some jerk up their pouring out some errant punishment bucket without looking.

Suddenly realizing Mikado was coming back towards him, the redhead in the Furinkan boys uniform leaped into the garden behind a small bush to hide, hoping no one else saw him.

* * *

Leaning against the tree, Kodachi Kuno gave a delicious smile as she watched the unfortunate 'accident' she had arranged befall the dark haired young man. The red hair, and the obvious change in height and proportion, it was definitely a Jusenkyo curse, just like Mikado's little friend had said.

Kodachi kept watching as the red head jumped behind a bush to hide from Mikado and the emerging school population. Keeping her eyes on her target, Kodachi didn't even glance away when her 'friend' from her gymnastics team arrived.

"Captain Kuno, you needed something? I'm sorry I'm late?" Sachi Iroppoi asked cheerfully, happy to be asked for a job by the team captain.

Ever since her chest had started growing faster than other girls at school, Sachi had accepted that some women would dislike her because of how the Kami invested her with larger assets than many women twice her age. But she always hoped a smart woman like Kodachi would see she could do so much more to help the team. Okay, sometimes her chest overbalanced her and she wasn't the most athletic girls, or the smartest. But she had a lot of friends. All the guys asked her out.

Kodachi moved her dark eyes to her teammate, nodding appreciatively at her build. "You're right on time dear, please take off your uniform."

Turning red, Sachi glanced nervously around the school grounds full of Furinkan students. "Oh, was I supposed to wear my leotard? I kind of forgot."

"Sachi dear, I thought you wanted to do your part for the gymnastics team? I need your uniform please?"

Kodachi's tone made Sachi whimper as she moved behind a tree to slip off her skirt and blouse. "Can I keep my jacket?"

Kodachi toyed with the idea but decided she was running out of time. "That's fine Sachi," she said, snatching away the girl's clothes leaving her in a jacket and underwear.

Watching Kodachi walk away, Sachi shivered, wondering if she was to remain here or leave. The thought of crossing town back to St Hebereke's like this was daunting but she didn't want to get caught up near Love Dome dressed like this either. Not after Mikado charged her for being her champion last time, she thought with tingling lips.

Turning to leave she froze as two Furinkan students were standing there all but drooling.

"I challenge you!" both said in stereo, before glaring at each other.

Eyes narrowing on his friend, Hiroshi held up his fist, smirking as Daisuke did the same.

"One, Two, Three… Ha! Paper wraps rock!"

* * *

Ranma was not pleased as the cold water seeped into his shirt, his body in its girl form shivering in the cold as he edged closer to the door. He needed to dart in fast, regretting for an instant sealing his father's sneaking thief techniques, before somberly recalling why he had done so.

He was just readying to jump for the door back inside when suddenly an arm appear, holding out a skirt and girl's blouse.

"Ranma-kun, it might be better for Akane if your curse isn't exposed till everyone gets to know you like I do."

Of all the people Ranma expected to give him aid, Kodachi Kuno was not among his guesses, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. A quick change, and a second young woman in St Hebereke's uniform stepped out of the brush.

"Ah, thanks Kodachi. How did you know?"

The dark haired young woman glowed in pleasure. "I did my research. Jusenkyo is not easy to track down information on. I just arrived to meet Mikado when I saw your accident. I had a spare uniform in my fiancés locker. An ancient Chinese curse, if it were not so tragic it would be magical."

"Heh, you got that right."

The smiles the pair shared were interrupted as Akane stormed up trailing several other students. "What's going on here?"

"Oh, hey Akane, sorry about this." Ranma said, his feminine hand going behind his head uncomfortably, not attentive to the way it moved his unbound chest in the thin blouse, jiggling in profile to the male students taking an interest. "I guess I, Ranko Saotome, am visiting from…"

Kodachi smiled as the red head gestured to her uniform, "St Hebereke, dear."

Akane glared in suspicion at Kodachi and her involvement here. "So you're here visiting your 'brother' and me, what is she doing here?"

"I was just showing Ranko-chan the way, Akane-chan. Our next stop was some hot tea if you care to join us? I'm sure your fiancé will return at the hint of a hot beverage. "

Akane's eyes widened realizing Kodachi's implication and tone meant she knew about the curse.

Ignoring the byplay between the two young women, Yuka stepped closer, eying the red head. "I know you…"

Everyone turned to the brown haired girl, for once not the shortest girl in the group, slightly taller than Ranko. "You were the girl who was there when the girl's change room blew up!"

Shaking his head, Ranma had no idea what he was accused of, not recalling blowing up any girls change room.

Still pointing at Ranko, Yuka looked to Akane. "Remember when 'Grandfather' used to spy on us, and we set those traps. Then there was a red haired girl changing with us and while we were doing PE the water main under blew up! That was her, I'm sure of it!"

Ranma's feminine blue eyes looked at the girl's change room then turned to look across the grounds to a fox statue on a pedestal, her face falling as she remembered.

"Ah, I, I didn't do it," Ranko said to those assembled, grabbing Akane and pulling her away to whisper to her.

"Ryoga Hibiki had a map to a Japanese Nanniichuan, a spring of drowned man. We followed it here to get cured. I didn't even realize it was the same school. I only went inside to scout it out, not to spy on anyone. Ryoga actually broke the water main trying to find the spring that had been closed long before."

Akane glared at her currently female fiancé, trying to recall the redhead and what she might have seen. But whatever he saw of her back then he knew much better now.

"You're an…" Akane began backing from the red head, suddenly recalling who was around her. "You're as big an idiot as your brother."

Turning to Yuka, Akane shook her head. "She was there, but she didn't blow it up."

Yuka glared at the red head but Ranma was more worried about the guys moving up behind her and around those talking.

"Um, are you single?" one of the taller senior boys asked towards Ranko's chest.

Ranko looked to Akane for help, the younger Tendo immediately visualising a smiling Nabiki, wondering how she would best profit from this, but before she could work out how best to deal with this before a mess of challenges happened, Ranko grinned.

"Wait, if I'm available you can all challenge me for a date, right?"

Many nodding heads answered, Akane's head falling at the happiness in the red head's blue eyes.

"Taking all challengers?" Ranko said, cracking her fingers.

* * *

Like watching a train wreck about to cause catastrophic damage, Akane followed behind her egotistical fiancé in his cursed form, wearing the uniform of the school of her former rival and upcoming opponent, Kodachi Kuno.

The blue-eyed young woman with the red hair moved into the now familiar structure known as 'Love Dome', nearly bouncing with every step. She hadn't been happy watching Akane fight off challengers to herself and her fiancé, but now the males were lining up to give him a work out.

The idea he could lose didn't enter Ranma's mind, but his eyes narrowed on the lit fighting circle as the blond Mikado Sanzenin threw his classmate Hiroshi out of the ring with casual grace.

"Mikado Sanzenin, champion for Sachi Iroppoi, wins," declared the senior in a black and white striped shirt.

Mikado turned and gave a flourishing bow to the St Hebereke student trying to hide her bare legs under her winter jacket. It must have been her nervous eyes looking at Kodachi and the crowd of boys following the unfamiliar redheaded student into the arena that made Mikado turn around, but when he did, he couldn't have gotten over to them faster without sprinting.

"Mikado Sanzenin," the blond young man said by introduction to the short newcomer. "I believe we met very briefly up in the mountains at the beginning of the month?"

"Mikado sweetums, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Ranko," Kodachi purred. "Ranko Saotome, Ranma Saotome's sister."

Mikado's eyes and mouth opened appreciatively while looking at the familiar blue eyes of his new classmate in the gorgeous face of the young woman before him. Ranma almost shivered at the salivating boy, while Akane looked suspiciously at Kodachi as she obviously lied to her fiancé.

"A true pleasure, my dear," he said, reaching for her hand, only for Ranko to hold it back from him. Smiling at the innocent shyness before him, Mikado looked to his fiancée. "And you fibbed when you told me you didn't know who she was."

"She's a new student dear, but we're already becoming fast friends and sharing all sorts of secrets."

Feeling dirty with every look Mikado gave her, Ranko put it out of mind to step up to the ring. "Who challenged me first?" she called, surprised to see Daisuke across the way at the head of the challenger queue.

Behind Ranko, Mikado enjoyed her rear profile for a moment before stepping up, "Surely by now Ranko-chan, my beloved Kodachi told you I am the designated champion for any St Hebereke student challenged. Please allow me the honor of being your champion?"

Smirking, Ranko looked up at the blond gentleman's offer. "But I'm much better than you. I don't want to lose."

Having his masculinity and skill thrown in his face didn't amuse Mikado Sanzenin, his annoyance becoming anger with the uppity red head spiking as his fiancée and other women behind him giggled at the rebuttal.

Waving Mikado off as a non-event, Ranma strode into the fighting ring, looking down at Daisuke. "Who's first?"

The dark haired classmate of Ranma and Akane was tempted but pointed to the busty girl trying to be invisible in just a jacket at the back of the arena. "Ah, I challenged Shika-chan first, but can I challenge you next?"

Even as those behind Daisuke complained about him trying to queue jump his challenge on the red head, a new figure barged his way through.

"Nay! It is my right to first challenge in my arena!"

* * *

Ranma flicked a little thumb across his feminine nose, taking a relaxed stance as she watched Kuno approach, heart beat thumping and her bosom heaving as his female body prepared for a big fight. Her little smile didn't falter realizing she couldn't use her love blast without giving away her identity, nor at the idea of going on a date with the egotistical bully before her.

"Verily I knew that you could stay not away from my magnificence," Tatewaki Kuno declared, sweeping back his brown hair with one hand, the other loosely holding his wooden blade. In his hakama pants and kimono jacket, like an ancient noble, he imperiously looked at his second love. "And now as was destined by the gods we battle so that I might show you my skill and claim your heart, my red haired goddess."

"Oi, I ain't anyone's goddess, my name is Ranko Saotome."

Kuno looked affronted, "The vile miscreant who enspells my pure tigress Akane has forced his name upon you?"

Seeing Kuno look at her fingers, Ranko held up her hands showing no ring. "Idiot, we're family. And he hasn't done magic on Akane."

His eyes closing affecting shame, Kuno wiped his eyes of the tears he felt for his two deceived loves. "His spells twist both your minds, his magicks so obvious to I, for it is the only way he can beat me, shaming me by stealing your precious gifts."

Ranko's eyes crossed trying to recall any gifts given or taken, her hand reaching for the empty space of her missing pigtail recalling with anger as the swordsman took it from her cursed form in the shops of Ginza. As a male he had taken back the red braid back in their first true fight. And they had claimed back the black blue one Kuno had taken from Akane before she had come into Ranma's life.

"Kuno-chan, Ranma doesn't know any magic, and all he has ever done to me is this," she said with a smile. Pulling her arms in to force her chest out tightening her blouse, she bent to lean forward, taking the hem of her skirt and dragging it up her right thigh, careful to pull up the leg of the boxers she wore, to expose a lot of creamy thigh.

"Do you see, Kuno-chan?" she asked sweetly, pointing to a non-existent spot.

Tatewaki Kuno leaned in to look.

Ranko's right hook caught his chin hard enough to swing his body one hundred and eighty degrees, a follow up kick sending him crashing from the ring.

The redhead glared at the referee on his podium so hard he flinched, raising his hand. "Challenge winner, Ranko Saotome."

Grinning, the red head bounced gratuitously from foot to foot, and waved to Daisuke.

The brown haired student looked at the fallen samurai at his feet, and immediately pointed at Shika in her jacket and bare legs again. "I challenged her next?"

With a shrug the redhead looked to the half naked St Hebereke student. "Can I be your champion?"

When Shika nodded back, Ranko looked back to Daisuke, "Let's see what ya got?"

All the students looked up as the bell rang ending lunch, many in the queue moving to write down their name in the ledger to keep their place after school.

"Aw come on!"

* * *

The youngest Tendo daughter watched as Ranko continued to fight in the ring, wasting their time after school as she took challenges and offered to champion for other girls. There were times he, even as a she, Ranma was like an little boy, and martial arts fighting was his favorite game. Her fiancé was never as brutal as he had been with Kuno, always letting those against the red head strike first to see if they had anything he hadn't seen, prodding for more action, before tricking, pulling, pushing, or throwing the opponent out of the circle once he though he had seen all they had.

Akane smirked knowing Nabiki wouldn't be impressed that the cursed boy was giving away championing services for free, services that most except the St Hebereke girl's came to her to arrange.

A tap on Akane's shoulder made her look up at a St Hebereke girl, who pointed back out the exit, "There's a cute guy outside who wants to talk to you."

Huffing, Akane turned and walked out, looking for whatever idiot wanted to challenge her next. To her surprise, Ryoga Hibiki was waiting for her. Akane winced as she saw he had cleaned up since last time she saw him nearly a fortnight before, carrying flowers and a heart shaped box as he tried to meet her eyes.

"Um, that is hi, I'm not sure if you remember me, I'm…"

"I remember you Ryoga," Akane said quickly, finding his shyness adorable if embarrassing.

"Uh, good. I remember you too. Ah," he stumbled out, his eyes dipping to her pink lips before he set his shoulders. "I traveled for miles, to see your visage again, forgive my failure."

As much as Akane liked the idea that Kuno had rendered her immune to poetry, the haiku and the nervous look waiting for approval from the boy struck her enough to blush and look down shyly. The idea of Ranma doing that made her sigh, as she looked at the young man in the tiger stripped bandanna. "That Haiku was very sweet Ryoga-kun, and I'm glad you came so we can talk."

Ryoga could almost hear the coming 'but' making his chest hurt.

"But I, well I know it sounds sudden but last weekend I got engaged."

Ryoga looked up hopefully, "To Ranma Saotome right? I heard about that. But he has other girl's, four of them. He can't keep you from seeing something better while he is out cheating on you?"

The chill look on her face made Ryoga pretty sure he had said that wrong. His hands held out the bouquet of flowers and box of dark chocolate hoping to get her back to smiling.

Ignoring the proffered out of season wild orchid flowers and chocolates, Akane glared at the built young man. "I've heard how you've treated women too, Ryoga Hibiki. From Ukyo, from Sakura, and from Aunty Saotome."

Wincing, Ryoga wasn't sure who the first name was, Amazon shampoo and tsubo still sealing his memory of the Okonomiyaki chef, but the other two he knew thought him a pervert and worse.

Akane let her voice up, "Only one person didn't think you were a pervert or lied to hurt those women. Was he wrong?"

"No!" he said, shaking his head vigorously. "I swear."

"Then why are you calling Ranma, the only person to defend you, a cheat?"

Shocked that Ranma had told her such, Ryoga was less sure confident. "He… he has all these girls, and turns into one, and got me cursed…"

"Ryoga, I know I owe you a date because of what happened in Love Dome, but…" Akane's voice trailed off as she lamented not being able to truly date her own fiancé without her rivals demanding similar opportunity. And even if they didn't find out about this dance before Christmas, if they heard about it and demand Nodoka grant them an opertunity to date and dance with Ranma like, Aunty might agree like she did with the kiss when she first met Ukyo.

Flushing as she recalled Ranma kissing her just after meeting her in a new light, Akane wondered if Ranma's mother would even allow them to go to this date considering the situation with honor and the engagement. That's when she recalled Nodoka and Nabiki tricking Ranma and her into chaperoning Kasumi and Doctor Tofu.

"Ryoga-kun, your Jusenkyo curse, it's a pig right?"

Nodding cautiously, Ryoga added, "That's the spring Ranma knocked me into. Is that why you don't want to date me?"

Her brown eyes flashed with impatience for his continued focus on her fiancé as wronging him, but softened at the question after. "No, of course not. And I know a friend who would like you more for it. How about on Christmas Eve, there is a dance going to be held here at this school. Now with the engagement it's awkward, but would you like to double date so everything looks proper?"

Not sure what that is, Ryoga nodded anyway. It sounded like she did want to have this date. "Uh, okay."

"Great, you'll like my friend, and everything will seem straight with the engagement problems."

Ryoga nodded, smiling.

Akane smiled brightly, glad to have justified her romantic Christmas Eve date and maybe help Ranma and his friend reconcile.

For a brief moment Ryoga's eyes dipped to Akane's lips, wondering if now was the time, like Mikado said, if she was positive and happy to strike while the mood was good. Taking a step forward, he froze as he realized he would crush the flowers in her hand between them if he tried. The moment passed, and blushing he stepped back.

* * *

Picking up the phone receiver, Akane carefully checked around to see who might be observing or watching. Her brow furrowed as she wondered if Ranma 'going for a walk' really was just a plot to spy on her or if he was off meeting someone else. His good cheer from his Love Dome dominance had ended the moment they started walking home, showing a little jealousy at the bunch of flowers someone had given her, now held idly in her hand.

Hopefully the fang toothed martial artist would bring something as thoughtful for his new date, but since he would be meeting his her blind he'd have no idea what her favorite type of flower would be. Akane frowned wondering how he knew wild orchids were her favorite, puzzling where he could have learned that about her as she dialed the number recorded in her diary.

The ringing ended quickly with a somber, "Moshi Moshi, Unryuu residence."

"Hey you," Akane said cheerfully at her friend's voice. "It's Akane, how have you been."

Akane had met Akari Unryuu when she had been passing through Nerima on her prize sumo pig, Katsunishiki. In a rather Nerima appropriate method of finding a boyfriend, Akari would have her great beast attack cute boys ever searching for one who could best her champion pet. Katsunishiki, a renowned champion of the esoteric sport, at over six feet high at the shoulder and weighing over at least a ton, few boys didn't run in fear of the charging beast.

Unfortunately she did find one who bested Katsunishiki, a tall slender senior with a wooden blade, Tatewaki Kuno. Believing he was her destined love, Akari was rightly hurt when he gave her no more than a passing glance, more interested in trying to put Katsunishiki's head on a plaque as a trophy. Had it not been for the timely intervention of Akane…

Making fast friends with the farmer girl with pink stripes in her wavy hair, Akane still took nearly a week to prove to Akari that Kuno was not the type of man she wanted him to be, and that all his strength and skill came from a magic wish.

Akari had continued on her way, but the pair still spoke as friends.

"Akane? It's been months. Kasumi-chan said you'd moved in with an Aunty for a time."

Smiling at hearing her friend's voice, Akane nodded, not that Akari could see the action. "Yeah, it got a little hectic around here, but I'm back, and I've got a fiancé."

Akari's squeals came down the line, followed by several questions. "Is he handsome? Is he sweet? How did you meet? Does he remember your name?"

Eyes crossing at the last question, Akane ignored it, "I was kind of hoping you were free on Christmas Eve to meet him?"

"But Christmas is for love, you should be alone with him on Christmas."

'I wish,' Akane thought to herself, but kept to her plan. "I was hoping you could visit and come to a dance with us and his cute friend?"

The groan down the line wasn't promising for Akane, but she let Akari find the words. "I'm not sure. I, I was nearly engaged and I broke it off last week."

"Really? To who? Why? Was he a pervert?" Akane asked.

"Oh he was sweet, and cute. His grandfather and mine tried to arrange it. He was strong, good with animals, he could even beat Katsunishiki with his broom. But he kept forgetting my name, even after five dates," Akari explained with a sigh.

"Did he just keep calling you 'you' or something?"

Slightly annoyed, Akari's voice showed it. "He kept calling me 'Akane'."

Flushing red, Akane shifted the receiver to her other ear. "It's not my fault you know?" she complained back at the near accusation.

"I know. But you can see, I'm just not sure I want to meet a new guy yet."

"Cute. Shy. Strong. Skilled. Sweet. And shoulders so broad you could sit on them side saddle."

Silence reigned on the phone line for a long moment.

"And he's as close to being part pig as any guy you will ever meet," Akane added.

"Can I get changed at your place before the dance?" Akari asked.

Smirking, Akane finished with exchanging details and a quick chat about dress plans before saying goodbye and hanging up.

Smile still on her face, she turned only to freeze before bumping into Nabiki.

The middle Tendo daughter looked inquisitively at her younger sister. "I'm confused. 'A' you have a fiancé. And 'B' you are seen taking gifts from and talking to the guy you owe an obligatory date with, him seen leaving in a state of happiness. Now it sounds like you're playing matchmaker? Care to tell me your plans so I can tell you your punishment?"

Akane didn't back down from her sister's amused eyes, "That depends, are you asking as my sister? Or as an official of Love Dome?"

"Let me guess, I learn more as your sister but that isn't public knowledge that I can use with the Love Dome rules against you?"

Akane grinned.

"You're learning Sis," Nabiki said, waving her hand to have Akane begin.

"Which of you am I telling?"

"Can't blame a girl for trying. Sister then, I want the story more than keeping you and your transsexual fiancé dominating my playground."

Akane smiled and nodded, "Well, I'll tell Aunty how Ranma and I are chaperoning Akari and Ryoga to the dance. It's no more real a date than the one you all set Ranma and I up on so it isn't dishonoring the other fiancées and they can't ask for their own date. As far as Love Dome is concerned, it is a double date of the four of us fulfilling the date with Ryoga, so I can finally register Ranma as my fiancé and stop being challenged."

With a grin, Nabiki nodded and gave a small golf clap. "Nicely played. You're safe from the Love Dome rules."

Moving away from the small telephone table in the hall, Nabiki left Akane to start going up the stairs before looking back and whispering, "Is that the type of logic you used to justify your special training while camping?"

With a shriek Nabiki fled up the stairs, her red faced little sister in pursuit with arms reaching for her.

* * *

"No, like this, see? You have it backwards again." Ignoring the smell of her fiancé in the chair beside her, Akane focused on the physics project in front of her. She was slightly put out that the idiot who fell asleep in class and was getting poor grades everywhere, especially in math, was pretty gifted in abstract magnitude use in physics class and getting it faster than she was.

Of course he had grown up learning from training scrolls describing actions or with two-dimensional drawings and putting them into actual movement. Still it was irritating to have him suddenly be showing her things, like she did for him on all the other subjects, only he was using the voice he normally saved for when teaching her some of the art.

Beside her, Ranma smirked, glad to be able to throw that smug 'know it all' tone back in her face. His eyes glanced at her profile as she worked, firm and resolved, more like when she was training and learning in the art. He briefly recalled her smiles, from the brilliant happy one to the small one she got when full sparring. Recalling another look on her pretty face, Ranma blushed and looked back to his homework, forcing away the memory of the incident on the training trip, but as he began to write, his pencil broke.

Glancing up, Akane sighed and passed Ranma her pencil sharpener.

Looking at the block Akane handed him, Ranma frowned not seeing any crank or way to work it.

"It's battery powered, idiot, just stick it in."

Blushing again at Akane's choice of words making him think inappropriate things, Ranma obeyed, pushing his pencil in and letting the electric motor do its work. Glancing at the satisfactorily sharpened tip, he handed the sharpener back, but didn't take his eyes off it for a moment.

"Was that a present?" Glancing up with a frown, Akane shook her head. "No, it used to belong to Kasumi when she was in school. Why?"

"Just a bit weird. I mean it's gotta cost more than a normal sharpener, seems a waste. I mean paying more to not have to move one hand…"

Shrugging at his answer, knowing how spendthrift his father raised him on the road, she moved back to her homework.

"Do you have any other battery powered devices you d…"

Akane's backhand knocked him away from her desk, making him roll backwards on the wheeled chair he was using. Catching up, Ranma stood.

"What was that for?"

Turning to stand up, not matching his height but glaring at him like she was the taller, Akane snapped back. "For being a pervert. Want another?"

"I ain't a pervert."

The heat of his words on her face make Akane tempted to shiver, eyes locked on his lips, part of her wondering how she felt anything for her previous and only boyfriend when this pervert could make her feel this way...

Turning away to control her breathing she moved for her desk. Without looking back she took her place. "Ranma, it isn't fair that if we can't even kiss because of your promise, you can't tease me like that."

Wondering if maybe there was something perverted to what he said, Ranma nodded, part of him elated that she was having as hard a time with all this mess as he was.

Taking his books, he didn't sit down. "Ah, maybe I should sit over here," he suggested diplomatically.

Glancing at him as Ranma sat on her bed, Akane snapped back to facing away from him as her libido suggested many inappropriate things.

Calming herself, Akane reached for her pencil when Ranma chuckled followed by a squeaking sound. Glancing at him, she was surprised to see her fiancé bouncing firmly on the edge of her bed.

"This is much softer than my bed back home or a futon, Akane," he said chuckling as the bed squeaked up and down.

Blushing at the sound and image, Akane stood up, but before she could tell him to stop, the door burst open.

Breathing heavily from running up the stairs, Kasumi glared at the scene, softening seeing her baby sister and her fiancé, several feet away from each other.

Akane blushed further wondering if she looked like that when she burst in on her older sister and Taro when Kasumi had been possessed...

* * *

Puffing on his pipe, Happosai, Grandmaster of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, looked down on the punk kid in the street below. He was surprised to see the brat so soon really, but it was typical that he'd interrupt his liberating of pretties.

"What are you doing back here Taro. You want something?"

The Chinese young man looked up at the shriveled old bane of his life on the balcony of the apartment above the street he was on, a sack of underwear on his shoulder recently added to from the empty underwear hanger nearby.

"You know what I want, here is what I am offering."

Looking down at his hand, Happi's breath caught at the beautiful rainbow colors of the butterfly brocade, and even more intoxicating, the sheaf of breast prints made from the wondrous colors.

"My friend Lukki wouldn't give up his prizes lightly," Happi said referring to his friend from his youth who created the brocade.

"He didn't, but he doesn't know me to come looking for them here. I made out I was an angry boyfriend from Hong Kong."

Grinning darkly, Happosai buffed twice, then shook his head. "No deal."

Growling, Taro barely kept his composure. "What will it take old man?"

"Those are a good start, my boy, but I need one extra favor."

"What?"

"Sweet Akane-chan," Happi began, smirking as the boy growled again. "Her worthless father engaged her to a loser. She's even beginning to think of you in a fond light after this ass. Go drive him off. That and your presents, and you might be able to have a name of your choice."

Smiling darkly, Taro pulled his hands back, hiding the treasures. "You can have these after you change my name, but firstly I'll go say hello to Akane and remind her of what a real man is like. Old man, if you're yanking my chain on this, you'll regret it."

"All I'm regretting is you stopping me from my work," the old man stated back, jumping to the next balcony and the set of silky darlings on a hanger there.

To be continued.

Finally all my little foreshadowings are becoming plots and being resolved.

This last period has been massively helpful in writing ML16, the Taro chapter bigger than originally planned and finished in draft fast thanks to all the the reviews keeping me focused despite life trying to get in the way.

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Jamieson, Hpackrat, Muishiki, and from the past Angela Jewel, Cupids Bride, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, , YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story. Thanks again for reading, please review all you read. The vocal minority gets what it wants, aren't you a minority?

(I'm the minority going out of my way begging for reviews :D)

Trent O'Donoghue.


	16. Chapter 16

fhapter 16

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter is all his work.

Last Updated: 18/09/09

* * *

In a small home in Bokuto, an angry Ryoga Hibiki wearing a spotted bandanna looked up from the weak miso soup he was calling breakfast as his 'benefactor' Ohata swaggered in. "You said you'd help me win Ukyo from Ranma, and so far you've done squat," Ryoga growled.

Ohata for his part was far from concerned at the threat from the martial artisft in the spotted bandanna. He had been imposing on Toko to house the disgruntled martial artist while Jiro worked out how best to use him to interfere in Ranma's life. In reality he was more worried about Toko giving him trouble rather than this fool. Standing up to Hibiki, he kept the hand behind his back.

"Unlike you who ended up fighting the very man you were partnered with against Saotome," Jiro reminded the bandanna wearing boy of their last outing the Sunday five days prior. "I have been keeping my eye on our goals. I had a friend play delivery girl to your pretty chef, with a bunch of roses."

"Roses?" Ryoga squeaked, suddenly hopeful at this development.

Jiro grinned. "Not cheap in winter either, eleven red and one white rose."

"Huh, why one white one?"

"Because I took the liberty of signing your name to the card, which said…" Jiro paused, sweeping his hand through his brown hair as he set himself, eyes he vaguely up and to the side of his audience. "In this world there are few who stand out, you are the one who holds my heart."

Ryoga didn't really know if it was good, but it sounded like poetry.

"Did she accept them?"

With a wider grin, Ohata brought forth the takeaway okonomiyaki box from behind his back, holding it out to Ryoga. "Breakfast Okonomiyaki. Made fresh just for you, with a message in the sauce. I'd say things are looking up."

With trembling fingers Ryoga gently open the lid, enjoying the wafting aroma of the food, inhaling deeply as the words were revealed. On it was written words in white Japanese mayonnaise on the think black okonomiyaki sauce.

'The special ingredient is love.'

The grand sigh from the lost boy almost made Jiro's smile falter, knowing he wouldn't have long to hold onto this tool should Ukyo forgive him. Though actions could be taken if need be to slow a romance.

With tender care, Ryoga lifted the gift from the box, taking a large bite filled with the taste of such a fine cook as his Ukyo, and filled with the hope of a future he had so often dreamed of.

As his teeth bit off the piece, his mouth was also filled with the pain of biting into the thorny stem of a rose, the thick dark sauce base hiding the petals and stems of the diced gift sent in his name and cooked into the food.

Ohata and Toko winced as all joy left the boy and he began to glow a sickly green.

* * *

"Why is there no bacon with these eggs?"

Kodachi smirked at her handsome fiancé, amused by his question of their western breakfast. With a leisurely gesture at their guest in the tiger striped bandanna at the end of the table, the black haired young woman nodded. "How do you boys talk so much without sharing anything? Hohohohohoho!"

Ryoga, looked up at the end of the table, holding half way through eating another serve of eggs and French toast cooked by the help, waiting for her laugh to end, resisting the urge to wince at the sound of her high pitched laughter.

Finally, Kodachi wound down.

"My love, if you had taken the time to talk to your friend about yourselves, you'd know Ryoga-kun has an affinity for pigs. Just as I could never think to dine on the meat of a brethren of Mr. Turtle, how could we ask our new friend to do so on the flesh of animals he feels so close to?"

Mikado frowned, glancing at Ryoga, who embarrassed, went back to eating. Kodachi had admitted yesterday his new acquaintance and fiancée had nearly had an embarrassing encounter in the bathroom, she'd even teased him of Ryoga's gentlemanly behavior, but there was something she wasn't telling him about this young man he was using to annoy Tendo and her fiancé Saotome.

Careful not to get any of his breakfast on the crisp white shirt and black slacks his hosts had so kindly loaned him, Ryoga kept eating when there was a knock at the doorway and the diminutive ninja called Sasuke humbly approached.

"Yes Sasuke, what is it?" Mikado asked imperiously.

Bowing to Mikado, Sasuke instead addressed Kodachi. "Mistress, your plants are well, but someone has vandalized a window on your exotic greenhouse."

The flat eyes of Kodachi on him actually made Sasuke glad he has opened with referring to her prize botanical endeavors as safe. "We have covered the broken pane and await the arrival of the glazer to replace it. However one bunch from your exotic breeds has been taken."

Kodachi stood angrily at the violation of her garden. "Which flowers were taken?"

"Just some wild orchids, Mistress Kodachi."

Ryoga looked up, "Like the ones Akane likes?"

"Indeed," Kodachi said glaring at him. "Would Ranma be the type to steal like this?"

"Well he is cheap like his father," Ryoga spat back, but after a moment he squirmed and his conscience didn't want to lie to his benefactors. "But he would sneak in rather than break a window. He never gets caught that easy."

With a mysterious smile Kodachi nodded at her guest in the tiger print bandanna. When she looked back to Sasuke, Kodachi's anger returned. "Find out who took them. Have Akane Tendo watched to see if an admirer had a gift for her."

Sasuke nodded, bowed and left. Kodachi turned to the two men with her. "When we find this thief I'll teach him no one steals from the Black Rose and gets away with it."

With a smirk, Mikado shrugged, "You said that about the kiss I stole from you the day we met."

"I didn't let you get away did I? Hohohohohohoho!"

Ryoga blushed as his hosts kissed passionately, focusing on his eggs and wondering how Akane laughed.

Outside, Sasuke walked silently down the corridor to the estate yard and the glasshouses, but stopped suddenly with a sly smile. Turning, he went back to go into his tiny office under the stairs and the phone within. One of Akane's classmates would make a better choice than having to spy himself on his Mistress's rival and Master's love interest. And the classmate he had in mind, had been a good source of photos of the Tendo girl for his master. Not much of a photographer, Hikaru Gosunkugi's prior crush on Akane Tendo gave him some gift for photographing her.

* * *

Rolling her eyes, Akane watched as Ranma showed off by tipping over to rest on his head, his back against the wall as he slipped both his shoes onto his feet at the same time. Moving for the front gate, Akane just opened it, shaking off an ominous feeling, when she heard an "ack" from behind her.

"Forgot my homework," Ranma said embarrassed, reversing direction. Rather than remove his shoes to enter the house again, he overturned again, quickly running inside and up the stairs on his hands.

"I'm not waiting forever!" Akane called back, shaking her head.

"Did I ever make you wait?"

The accented voice behind her made Akane spin around, taking a ready stance. The sight of the young Chinese man in exotic clothes, casually standing in the road, sent memories flooding through her, from the warmth of old intimacy to the chill of his betrayal. It took her a long moment to collect herself.

"What do you want, Baka?"

Wincing, Taro stood more formally and gave a short bow. "I was traveling around China looking for anything that might convince your master to change my name to one of my choosing, but things kept reminding me of you."

Snorting in disgust at his words, Akane glared at him for a long moment, eyes tracing over all the traits she found attractive when dating him, now she was wondering what she was thinking, and compared to her Ranma, she found the features of his face more attractive in his monster form.

Taking hope in her eyes looking over him, Taro swallowed his pride and took a knee, flourishing a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. "I was a fool and a jerk. I had to lose you to realize how much you meant to me."

Despite herself, Akane's cheeks pinked in the chill morning air as the jerk who had played her and cast her aside for his pride, apologized and said words that pulled at old wounds. Her brown eyes focused on the flowers he held if only to not look at her ex-boyfriend's face, pain that he remembered her favorite.

"Grandfather isn't here, so go away."

"But Akane," Taro began, going down on both knees, a display of humility she didn't expect of him, her mind unable to see Ranma do such the same way. She briefly wondered if he was doing this to play to her sympathies, she wasn't moved but she was distracted enough that he managed to grab her hand.

The contact surprised her, it was nothing special but her body apparently recalled Ranma's touch, making her shiver.

"Akane, you know we were good together."

With a flick of her wrist, Akane pressed his hand back with pressure on his wrist, making him hiss in pain. She was about to tell him to leave again when her fiancé darted out of the gate.

Racing to catch up to his fiancée, Ranma had to skid to a stop coming out of the gate finding her standing there. His smile fell as he found yet another guy on his knees offering flowers to his fiancé. His mood dropped in recognition.

"What the hell do you want Pantyhose?" Ranma's scorn made the older foreigner flush, worse realizing he was in such a submissive position. Failing an attempt to break Akane's wrist lock, Taro still managed to get to his feet. "I've got more right to be here than you, fem-boy."

Akane twisted her grip, "That isn't your name to answer to, Baka."

Smirking at his former opponent, Ranma was amused that the Chinese young man was still caught by Akane but trying to look in control. "You know this jackass Akane? Or did he tell you his name was something other than Pantyhose Taro?" Finally slipping out of Akane's grip, the Chinese traveler gave Akane a warning glare that was met with a vicious smile from the Japanese young woman.

"His name was Pantyhose Taro, but I had Grandfather change it months ago. His name is 'Ecchi-Baka Taro' now, because he was a perverted idiot!"

The anger filled words of his ex-girlfriend still hit him like blows despite the time that had passed, but Ranma laughing at him stoked his shame and embarrassment into anger.

"Nice choice Akane, what'd he do to piss you off?" Ranma asked.

Akane frowned at her fiancé's choice of language, irritated that he sounded as crude as Taro. She shook it off with a shrug. "He used me to get his name changed by Happosai."

"Hey, Happosai told me to ask you out, I never did it to hurt you."

"Woah, hold up," Ranma stated, his voice deepening as his hands raised, palms out. "You mean you dated this jerk? This was your ex-boyfriend?"

Akane got a slight thrill at the obvious anger and jealousy in Ranma's voice, but suppressed it to glare at him. "I already said he tricked me, making me think he was a decent human being and not a monster."

"Takes one to know one," Taro shot back, but neither of the couple cared enough to even glare at him.

Akane gave a shrug. "Besides that was before we even met Ranma, it doesn't change the fact we're engaged now."

Seeing Ranma nod, Taro put together the obvious, "So you're the one her crybaby father engaged her to. He must really think Akane didn't like men to set her up with a transvestite."

Akane bristled, at the insult to her man and her father, knowing the enmity her father had for the Chinese young man while the history between her fiancé and ex almost palpable in the air. "Watch your mouth, Ecchi-Baka."

Ranma slapped is clenched hand down on his open palm. "I get it, Akane. This is why you can't cook!"

"What?" Akane exclaimed. "How does me once dating this jerk make me a bad cook?"

"It's obvious, you have absolutely no taste."

"Excuse me?" Akane cried, holding up a fist. "I picked you idiot!"

Ignoring the threat and warming to the subject Ranma's jealousy lashed out in explanation. "Actually your old man made the promise. So that proves he has good taste, just like me. You just lucked out."

Akane's mouth fell open at his gall.

"And with his ugly mug," Ranma continued referring to Soun's face, "You must 'ave got your looks from ya Mum. That proves his good taste, but you must have gotten her bad taste. Could she cook?"

Having been insulted, then had her father insulted, then finally her late mother, Akane snapped. "Ranma you jerk!" she cried before booting him into the sky.

Taro smirked, watching his ex stomping off towards school in a rage. Breaking these two up should be easy.

* * *

Jogging back, Ranma just caught up to Akane as she reached the gates to the school. His blue eyes saw she was still fuming and he considered apologizing for angering her but when he saw Taro still following her towards the school that idea evaporated. Akane's attitude at least showed she didn't care for the Chinese wanderer with the embarrassing name any more, but as he imagined Taro holding her as his girlfriend even many months ago, his blood churned.

Glancing at her approaching fiancé then giving a final glare at the young man behind her she was ignoring, Akane sighed, caught between her anger for his previous words and warmth of seeing Ranma's feelings so bare on his face. Turning around, she glared again at her ex. "Taro, go away. I am engaged to Ranma and even if I wasn't, I'm not interested in you."

"You say that in front of the transsexual," Taro said with a vague gesture at the fuming dark haired young man.

"I'd say it to your face alone too," Akane shot back in frustration.

"And ya ain't getting her alone, Ecchi-Baka."

The two glaring boys frustrated Akane, emotions churning she turned away to collect herself. Looking into the dome structure in the High school, she turned back to Ranma. "He isn't going to just leave unless I talk to him."

Ranma shook his head, "I've driven him off before."

"You don't have time to fight him if he goes into his monster form before class starts."

"Says you... wait, you know about his monster form?" Ranma asked, puzzled.

"Of course I do. I saw him use it on Happosai a couple times," Akane huffed back, not interested in getting off the topic of explaining why she was going to have to talk to Taro in private.

"But you didn't know my curse when you walked in on me in the bath?"

"What has your curse got to do with his monster form?"

"Duh Akane, he changes into it with cold water and back with hot water. It's a Jusenkyo curse too."

Glancing at the slightly embarrassed Chinese boy, Akane suddenly reviewed her memories of him. "I thought it changed cause he just got angry like the incredible hulk or something."

"Happosai bathed him in the cursed Spring of Drowned Yeti Riding Burro Holding Crane and Eel, then he splashed some Drowned Octopus pool on his back for the tentacles. The ugly he came by naturally."

"It was Yeti riding Bull, fem-boy" Taro growled back.

"Oh that's right, you were naturally part 'ass'," Ranma shot back, smirking at having Taro fall into the setup like that.

Squeezing her lips shut to not laugh, embarrassed to be amused by her fiancé's crude joking, especially since he just used similar on her, Akane put her hand on Ranma's shoulder to get his attention as she stepped in close.

"Look, I don't want to spend any time with him. But if I don't let him have his say he won't move on. Would you rather he will follow us in and get involved in Love Dome? I don't want to fight him and since you're championing Ranko, do you want him exposing your curse?"

Frowning as Akane's logic drilled into him, Ranma pointed at Taro. "Keep your hands to yourself, Ecchi-Baka." Turning abruptly he headed off into the school.

* * *

Akane watched Ranma move in past the gate and heading for Love Dome quickly to vent on some unsuspecting students wanting to date his cursed form. Turning back, she looked at Taro holding out the bouquet of wild orchids to her again.

The youngest Tendo daughter shook her head and spoke slowly and clearly. "I don't want the flowers, Taro. I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to help you make Grandfather rename you 'Awesome Taro'."

Tossing the flowers aside, Taro shook his head. "I don't need your help to have Happosai change my name to one I want. I really am here just because of what I feel for you."

"It's too late Taro. I'm engaged."

"Yeah, by a promise your father made. It isn't like fem-boy proposed to you."

"That's right Taro, insult my fiancé for his curse, way to make me feel even more the fool for ever liking you," Akane said sarcastically. "Call him names just one more time and I'll make Grandfather an offer to keep your name Ecchi-Baka Taro no matter what you're offering."

"You are lousy at bluffing, Akane-chan," Taro said smoothly, pulling out a large piece of paper and unrolling it. "I took this off a martial artist called Lukkosai in Beijing. I was surprised to see your name on it."

Opening the page like a poster, Akane reddened seeing the color print. The ink was almost magically bright with colors of the rainbow that set without blending together and reflected the light in a way to catch the eye. That the ink showed two round pressings in the paper made by a pair of breasts. Akane recalled the piece of paper with embarrassment, feeling angry this pervert had it, having made it to try and end the threat Lukkosai posed with the source of the beautiful ink, the Butterfly Brocade.

"Give that to me, you pervert," Akane commanded moving up to him, but he stepped back, folding the page carefully and sliding it in his vest.

"Take it from me?"

Akane struck fast, lashing out with her foot, only for Taro to flow back out of reach.

* * *

Hikaru Gosunkugi was still puffing from climbing up on the building roof as he photoed that cad foreigner Taro talking to Akane. He had hated the foreign boy when Akane had dated him, and he hated him more when he broke her heart. Now she seemed happy to be with this new comer, Ranma Saotome, so Taro being back could only hurt his former crush again.

Over time Hikaru had come to accept that Akane would never hold a place for him in her heart, not as he did for her, and his crush had become less intense. Adding in his recent experiences with his 'girlfriend,' Kaori Kumayama, was making him more wary of any girl that much stronger than himself. Most girls were stronger than him but he shivered as the St Hebereke girl two years his junior dragged him to meet her parents. Hopefully with this photo of Taro and the missing flowers he had been told to look for, he could convince Kodachi Kuno to have a word to cool her school junior, or even champion him to break off the relationship he was too weak to end physically or emotionally. That and have someone beat up the foreigner Taro appealed greatly.

Seeing Taro provoke a fight with his classmate, Gosunkugi continued to take photos, camera clicking as the foreigner led the fight away from the school gates to more privacy. With a thanks to the gods, the boy with the black circles under his eyes moved around to the next side of the building the fight moved behind, thankful for not losing sight or having to climb down and find another vantage point.

* * *

Taro punched back at Akane, his opponent barely getting her block up to deflect the blow from her face. The Chinese wanderer then had to defend, springing back as she lashed out with kicks to his midsection.

Her increased use of kicks and obvious lightness on her feet was a definite change in her style compared to what he remembered when they used to spar together before the breakup. Still as he lashed out with a hard kick she had no choice but to block, the tug of a smile on her lips let him know she still liked to play rough.

A hard jab for her flank Akane turned aside, grabbing Taro to pull past her twisting body and send him sprawling to the ground, her body recalling hard sparring sessions, his smell reaching her over the child winter air. "Give me the breast print, Taro."

Ignoring her demand as he stood, Taro gave smiled, "You've gotten better."

"You haven't. And if you go..."

Akane's threat failed as Taro charged back in with a lashing kick, a feint that felt weak against her block, drawing her arm up as he slugged a punch into her stomach. Gasping for breath, Akane struck back, attacking his blocking arm, twisting up to bash and stun his elbow, shifting his balance as she smoothly counter spun her body to sweep his legs out from under him, smirking at her advantage.

Landing on his hands and drawing his legs in to a crouch, Taro let Akane launch her next kick before standing into it, his arm grabbing and locking her leg to his side. Grabbing her opposing arm to pull her shoulder forward, dragging her arm between them, forcing her torso to twist around denying her good power to weaken blows against his open side. He carefully schooled his face as Akane moved into the final move.

Akane lashed out with her free arm without the momentum of her shoulder anyway, her fist opening as she reached his shoulder, fingers gripping over his shoulder and digging in with all her grip, not a true shiatsu pressure point attack, but very painful if done right, such close contact reminding of making out so long ago. In pulling his shoulder forward while balancing on one leg, Akane was caught off when Taro mashed his lips on hers.

* * *

-Click-

* * *

For one brief moment as Akane froze, Taro thought he had succeeded, pressing to deepen the kiss trying to remind her of what they had briefly had in the past. Stunned for a moment Akane's lips recalled what they had in the past, then she recalled what she had in present, revolution buring past everything else.

With a cry Taro broke his holds and darted back, his lip bleeding from where Akane bit it and his groin stinging lightly from her raising her knee against his hold.

"You Jerk! You perverted pig idiot jerk!" Akane accused wiping at her lips and spitting out the contact with the lips of her ex-boyfriend. "And you're wearing a cup, you cheat."

Taro winced at the negative reaction, letting his anger surge at the rejection and the stinging around his groin where his protective cup had been driven in hard.

"You felt it. What we had," Taro snapped. "You think I played you but you just felt how much I cared about us. Obviously more than you did!"

Already angry, having old emotions torn at inflamed Akane more as she glared back at the taller young man. "What we had? What we had was nothing. I cared about you! You were just after my bra to give to Happosai for your precious name change! And what I felt for you was nothing, nothing compared to how Ranma makes me feel now."

"The fem-boy?" Taro yelled back in surprise. "When we started dating people were surprised that you even liked guys. Looks like they were right if you want to marry a woman."

"He's ten times the man you are!" Akane cried before booting him hard, sending him over the nearest building to impact into the canal beyond.

With a sob, Akane Tendo turned on her heels and stormed back towards the school tears falling down her cheeks.

* * *

Landing with a splash legs first in the icy canal water, Taro lamented coming to Japan in winter. Taking the impact in his suddenly monstrous legs, he kept upright to avoid getting his wings wet. From the crane part of his curses, the wings still worked in the wet but they were more effort and always felt the cold more than the rest of his coarse-furred body.

He glared angrily in the direction of the school and his ex, before sneering his yak lips, realizing that particular bridge was certainly burned while Ranma was in the way. Still that old goat Happosai only wanted them broken up, not him back with her.

With a powerful beat of its wing, the monstrous form of 'Ecchi-Baka Taro' took off towards familiar ground to prepare.

* * *

Ranma smirked as he took on another challenger after a date with his 'sister' Ranko, for whom he was officially championing in the Love Dome arena. One of the forwards on school football team, the brown haired senior wore his team outfit including head protection.

Waving on to the bored senior in the black and white shirt acting as referee to the match, Ranma watched as she lazily raised her hand, apparently one of the few to consider this a foregone conclusion.

Like clockwork the footballer rushed in, hoping to tackle Ranma down, believing if you could take the martial artist of his feet he would lose much of his strength and moves. Ranma let him tackle into him stomach, bracing himself, grabbing his opponent around the shoulder with one arm, his other grabbing the football shorts of the senior and lifting.

Instead of finding himself on the ground wrestling down the dark haired new student, the senior was instead hanging head down in the air.

Leaning back Ranma let his victim bend backwards over his shoulder, the limber martial artist all but falling backwards till he felt the footballers feet hit the ground outside the fighting circle then dumped his opponent unceremoniously on his back.

"Winner, Ranma Saotome on behalf of Ranko Saotome," the bored referee called.

Briefly wondering where Akane was, he glanced to the entrance to see his disheveled and crying fiancée run in.

Jumping over to her, Ranma's face set to anger. "Where is he and what did he do?"

Wherever Taro might have done Akane grabbed his hand with a grip like a vice, dragging him behind her to one of the exits of the arena building, opening the janitors supply cupboard and pushing him inside before following into the dark.

Ranma wasn't sure what to expect when he felt Akane's arms wrap around his torso, locking his arms to his sides, pressing her face to his chest.

Holding his hands to his side so as not to reciprocate the hug with the painful promise still hanging over them, Ranma spoke softly. "What did he do?"

It was a moment before Akane looked up, "Nothing. Just old baggage from that bastard. But this whole week... We got engaged and it should be wonderful but Nabiki and Kasumi knowing about what we did, the girls at school all gossiping and challenging you, Ecchi-Baka coming back, Kuno, Mrs Miyakoji and Ms Hinako, and that stupid promise. It's all so crazy."

Nodding, Ranma winced as he spoke, "Ah, about that promise..."

Growling Akane squeezed him tighter. "I didn't make that stupid promise, you just have to resist."

In a pained voice Ranma looked at the top of her head. "That's kind of how Sakura and Shampoo reacted too. I don't want to reject you like I do them."

Releasing him with disgruntled moan, Akane looked up at him in understanding, before lashing out with her fist to his midsection. Ranma blocked it expecting the reaction, only to be caught as it was a feint, her foot stamping on his toes.

* * *

"Thank you," Ranma said as his mother handed him a plate piled high with shimeji and shiso.

Smiling for her son's gratitude, Nodoka began to prepare a plate for herself, a twinge of humility in her that Kasumi, who was even now serving her sisters, had prepared the almost perfect meal for the two families.

Akane smiled at Ranma's improving manners, expressing his gratitude similarly for Kasumi, Akane's amused at the slight joy her big sister had from being complimented. After school sparring with Ranma had been the most satisfying for nearly a week, not just because she got to vent at Ranma over Taro, or that he was holding back less with his own irritation, but their mutual focus on the art had managed to take things seriously. They had even attempted a couple wrestling holds, though these were broken up by blushing apologies and tingling skin.

Soun, as head of the Tendo family, called for everyone to begin eating and all enjoyed the meal, broken only by Nodoka firstly glaring at her husband for trying to steal from Ranma's plate, then more directly swatting him in the chest hard enough to knock him to his back.

Giving a bemused eye as her baby sister and her fiancé ate in almost synchronized movements, Nabiki tapped her lips with a napkin as she put her chopsticks down completing her own meal.

"Ranma-kun, do you have much homework to do tonight?"

Both Akane and Ranma looked up at the middle sister's question, the former suspicious while the latter surprised. Ranma had planned to head out for some more secret dance training but he couldn't admit to that and call it secret. "Not a lot. Why?"

Smirking a little too smugly, Nabiki kept her voice casual. "I thought I'd like to collect on our bet?"

"Bet?" Akane asked before Ranma could.

"Of course, while you're doing the dishes, since it is your turn, I thought I'd claim the prize, or rather my share of the prize, we won on the bet about Ranma defeating you for the title of champion of breakfast for the month of November?"

Akane frowned trying to recall but Ranma nodded. "Oh the massage. Sure, if you want," he said, only to glance at Akane when she gave a muffled negative sound.

Holding in the 'No' by her lips, Akane flushed at the jealous surge at the idea of her sister having her fiancé's hands on her, eyes dipping at the amusement in Nabiki's eyes.

"Great," Nabiki said, standing up. "I'll go get a towel and strip off for you."

Kasumi's glare on her little sister might have been as dark as Akane's eyes, not that Nabiki paid attention to either, glancing once at Ranma who wasn't even blushing.

"Take your time and wash off first, I'll get some incense sticks and oils."

Frowning, Nabiki gave a nod and headed for the furo, leaving Ranma to finish his meal. Seeing Akane glare at him before starting to collect plates in a quick fashion, including his unfinished one, Ranma followed as she left for the kitchen.

* * *

"What's up with you?"

Akane turned from the sink to her fiancé, aware of the Kasumi preparing to wash up beside her. "Your promise about all girls not just fiancées, that includes my sisters."

Kasumi gasped at the implication, but Ranma shrugged as Akane went pointedly back to cleaning up. "You know she's trying to get your goat, right? She's playing a tune and you're dancing to it. Actually back when Shampoo and Sakura would come to Doc Tofu's wanting a massage from me they were much more blatant."

-Whack-

As Ranma recovered from his fiancées fist, watching from the ground as she and Kasumi scrubbed vigorously at the sink, he realized he had probably said the wrong thing.

* * *

Soun watched as his future son-in-law left the room, leaving him alone with his old friend and friend's wife.

"Nabiki seems to like him a great deal as well, is that going to be a problem?"

"No Soun," Nodoka said quietly. "Nabiki knows she can't beat Akane's hold on my son's heart, but she enjoys teasing others too much. I told you when she was younger she needed a pet."

Soun frowned recalling how hard it was to raise three girls by himself back then without the addition of pets.

Genma shrugged, "Who knows, as long as the boy shacks up with one of your daughters the promise will work out."

Soun glared at his friend. "Your plan better not get two of my girls in trouble."

Genma gave a warning wave to shut Soun up about the 'plan'. It was less than effective as he sat in plain view of his wife.

"What plan is this, Husband?"

Swallowing, Genma affected a calming smile. "Oh just to let nature take its course, just like you wanted us to do. Just stay out of it."

Lamenting the fact her son had pushed the envelope of his word by doing what came naturally, Nodoka focused on things here. "Husband, just tell me what you did and I will decide if it will foul things up like most of your attempts to help have done."

"Er, nothing dear. I left the boy a present to help him be more comfortable to express himself."

"Dear, do you remember the mess when you hid condoms in Ranma's room to make me think he was more manly? Do you remember what it made all the girls think?"

Genma winced, his neck tightening as he used a finger to pull at his collar. "Ah, yeah, about that."

* * *

"Come in," Nabiki called at Ranma's knock on the door.

Opening the door with the duck shaped nameplate bearing her name in English, Ranma swallowed. It wasn't the sight of the topless girl face down with just a towel under her rump, mirth filled eyes shamelessly on him, but the fact that from within minutes of meeting Akane's older sister nearly two months before, he had seen how she had a very similar body shape to his newest fiancée's and his libido was well aware of it.

Nabiki had a sudden nervous flash as her sister's betrothed looked at her body. She wasn't really worried of the exposure. It was really no different to undoing the back of her bikini while sunbathing face down at the beach last summer, but something in his eyes pointed out for the first time his lack of accepting favors from his other pursuers was about control and not lack of interest.

"Good timing, I just laid down. If you had come any sooner it would have been improper."

Ranma frowned as he laid out his oil bottle, a tube of lotion, a towel, and incense sticks on her desk. "Ah Nabiki, Akane ain't here to hear you, and I've heard worse. If you keep on with the innuendo you'll just distract yourself from relaxing."

Pouting at the rebuff, Nabiki nodded, watching him light a stick and put it in a holder first, then pick up a tube of lotion. "Fair enough. So what was it like to jump my sister?"

With a pop, Ranma's sudden grip on the tube forced the lid open sending a jet of lotion up the wall. "Could you not talk about that stuff out loud? If Pop or your old man figure out what we did, things would get real awkward."

Nabiki laughed lightly, slightly higher in pitch but unmistakably like Akane's laugh. "You got that right, when Kasumi got possessed by a demon and ended up caught by Daddy undressed with Akane's ex-boyfriend, there were tears."

Ranma mistook the mysterious smile on Nabiki's face, his focus on the image in his mind. "He made Taro cry?" he asked nearly laughing.

"Akane told you about her ex?"

"He showed up this morning, but I knew him back when he was Pantyhose Taro. He came after Happosai to change his name but was picking on the rest of us Jusenkyo cursed."

Nabiki frowned, assimilating the information wondering how such a loud mouth monster had passed through without her hearing about it, now understanding why Akane was upset in Love Dome, and realizing that her sister's monstrous ex was vulnerable to just a splash of hot water.

Rubbing his oiled hands together, Ranma moved beside Nabiki's bed, stopping just short of putting his hands on her. "Are you ready for me to begin?"

Ignoring any nervousness, Nabiki arched her back, relaxing against her bedding. "Please go ahead."

Ranma pressed his palms against her back, splayed fingers tracing her muscles and bones as he moved up, kneading into her flesh. "You don't have any injuries I should know of do you?" he queried.

"None at all, unless it'll get me special treatment?"

Ranma chuckled, "Nah, means I don't have to hold back."

Pressing against her skin, he felt her as much as heard her quiet at the contact, pressing her muscles, stretching them on her back to work any stress from them.

Breathing in her nose in time to his long slow presses, Nabiki exhaled a slow moan, lips turning up as she did it again, trying to get closer to what she imagined Akane sounded like on their naughty camping trip.

Listening to the moans, Ranma shook his head. "Is that helping you relax? Akane's moans were more high pitched."

Giggling at being caught, Nabiki's voice raised mid chuckle as he pressed again.

Shaking his head, Ranma figured it was easier to just get it over with. "Even higher, and faster than that towards the end." Slightly embarrassed, Nabiki lightened her voice to impersonate Akanes. "'Shut up'!" she said, smirking as she won a point when Ranma's fingers froze on her back.

For his part, it wasn't only the words bashing his libido from Nabiki that froze Ranma, but Akane's hand suddenly appearing from under her sister's bed, fingernails digging into his calf with a steel grip.

* * *

Under Nabiki's bed, Akane grimaced for exposing herself to Ranma, knowing he wasn't a good liar and could give away the fact she was there to Nabiki. Still the whole reason she was here was to prevent Ranma from saying or doing something stupid, with Nabiki no doubt encouraging him or tricking him into such.

Releasing his foot, Akane withdrew her hand slowly, stroking down his foot gently as above Ranma went back to work.

"Ah, Akane told you about that huh? The 'shut ups'."

Akane internally winced as Nabiki laughed above her. "Surely you know girls talk Ranma. Especially sisters. She told me she lost count of how often she said it that night."

Akane could almost hear Ranma swallowing, his stance moving up as he focused more on Nabiki's shoulders and upper arms.

"Um, what else did she tell you?"

Pinching at the skin of Ranma's foot got the point to change the subject to her fiancé but the question was already asked. Fortunately Nabiki showed her nature.

"Oh so much, Ranma-kun. But quid-pro-quo, before I answer another question, you have to answer one of mine."

"Okay, shoot."

Akane almost punched his foot but held back fearing Nabiki would hear an impact.

"How long, how many shut ups, did it take before you rationalized your promise as Akane not being a fiancée to break your promise over the no intimacy till the engagements are resolved?"

Akane wasn't sure if it was her presence that made Ranma stumble over the words looking for how to answer, a smirk tugging at her pink lips when his stance shifted as he worked harder on Nabiki to drag out the time to answer.

"Well, I wasn't really thinking like that. It was just me and her. I'm kind of ashamed she made me forget the promise. It was when I was on the train home I figured I didn't really break it."

Nabiki's laugh irritated Akane at hearing Ranma's confession, but she was smiling as she found her hand patting his foot like he was a good pet.

"So what question about my Sister would you like next?"

"How serious did Taro and Akane get?"

The pinching of the skin of Ranma's feet hopefully got through to him that this wasn't a good subject either, but Nabiki above her was already answering.

"She had a big crush on him. Cute enough foreign martial artist who'd stood up to Kuno's bullying, she was primed to fall for such a guy," Nabiki said slightly muffled by relaxing into her pillow. "They had a couple dates, kissed some, he tried for second base but she drew the line there and he'd always walk away frustrated with a hand print on his face. Akane-chan thought it was him just being a perverted boy but I find it even funnier since he was just after her bra."

"Her bra? What's that about?"

"Akane hadn't told you even that much?" Nabiki said as she shifted above Akane on the mattress, the younger Tendo daughter awkwardly pulling back her hand.

"I take it you know he was after Happosai to change his name? Well Grandfather told him in secret that he had to get Akane to voluntarily give him her bra. If Taro got her to do that he could pick his own name."

"So he challenged Kuno to impress her, got beat, but that only got Akane more interested as it let Akane play 'Florence Nightingale' to him. After he recovered he asked her out and they had a couple dates. Like I said he tried to get to second base but Sis kept it above the neck."

Ranma grunted something but Akane was too nervous to look up at his face.

Nabiki groaned, interrupting her story as Ranma's hands worked a recalcitrant muscle group. "Then Kuno had this girl fall for him. Real ditz. Americanized cheerleader, called Minako. No sorry, it was Mariko. Mariko Konjo from Seisyun High. She came to our school to cheer on a volleyball team against Akane's, and made Akane lose with her Martial Arts Cheerleading."

"Yeah Akane told me about that style. Basically support your partner and take out the enemy."

Beneath the bed, Akane found herself nodding, agreeing with what Ranma found important.

"Akane of course got all prideful and decided to try and out cheer the ditz, the pair of them embarrassing themselves as they fought over Kuno's attention. When Kodachi Kuno joined in cheering on her fiancé Mikado and playing dirty against her brother with some embarrassing baby photos."

"Akane sulked back to Taro then figured out she didn't have to try and evoke the love of Kuno to win, if she cheered for her boyfriend against Kuno. She put out a challenge for a big fight between the three couples. Nice enough if a short fight, Taro was holding his own against Mikado while the girls kept Kuno at bay, when Taro pulled Akane aside and slipped her a bra he must have bought or stolen earlier. Thinking it was just part of the cheerleading fight, Akane made a big show of giving it to him. Kuno came in so furious at Taro he was wide open for Akane to throat punched him down. She would have gone after Mikado only to realize he had turned monster and flying away."

This time it was Ranma that groaned, frowning at the past treatment of his fiancée. "Yeah, Kodachi hinted at some past victory."

Nabiki closed her eyes, enjoying his actions on her skin and muscles as she continued the tale. "When Akane finally found him, he was offering her bra to Happosai. She went off, she dumped him, beat him, and then for the only time ever, she offered that if Grandfather would change his name to 'Ecchi-baka Taro', she'd read Grandfather one of his dirty magazine stories with the Martial Arts Naughty Voice he got her trained in."

Hands freezing, Ranma's voice was shocked, "Martial arts what?"

Akane felt her face was searing hot with rushing blood, both in recalling the first session of training in that obscure art. The first art Grandfather helped her learn to face down the magically endowed skill of Tatewaki Kuno.

"Oh yeah, she brought Kuno to his knees after one night of training. Ask her about it, and if she doesn't want to show you I have Grandfather's recording of her reading the filthy magazine story you can listen to."

Akane wanted to cry in embarrassment.

* * *

Feeling Ranma's hands move from her back down to her calves, Nabiki purred into her pillow for a moment before focusing on the opportunity she had with the unguarded Ranma.

"So after that history lesson, you owe me a big story. Tell me about the time Jiro Ohata kissed you?"

Groaning, Ranma leaned over to begin to work on her feet. "That's just embarrassing. I was tricked."

"Oh I got that. You did say he kissed you so I didn't think you went and made out with him," Nabiki said carefully.

Ranma might have been more suspicious if he knew Nabiki better and Akane wasn't soothingly stroking his foot obviously wanting to hear the answer herself.

"Fine. After I turned girl near school one time, Mom and I made up the identity of my sister Ranko, and we acted like I was my own twin sister. After about of week of Jiro and his goon friends trying to bully me and failing, Jiro with his ego decided to try and hit on Ranko. I was even less interested in him like that, and put him down a couple times. But then he came with a newspaper article about some sex fiend who was attacking couples on dates going through this park."

"He sold it as us going on a fake date, to lure this criminal out and we'd catch him. That impressed mom as manly and she saw it as a chance for me to girl up because she wasn't happy her 'daughter' had a reputation as a tomboy."

Nabiki started to giggle at that but it failed as his fingers worked the soles of her feet sending delicious aches up her legs.

"That and she said she wanted me to treat it as a real date so I'd understand how a girl feels on a date and be a better man when I started dating. This was before the engagement messes started up pretty much ruining dating for me."

Nabiki smirked, unaware Akane's pinching fingertips told a different view of that subject. "So where did he take you?"

"Some fancy European place. Mom had me wear this floral dress and do up my hair. I hated it but went with it to try and lure out this criminal if nothing else."

"So you went through with the date playing the girl."

He shrugged as he massaged over Nabiki's feet and ankles. "Didn't have to do much acting, Jiro did all the talking about himself. After that we went walking through the park, him putting his arm around me like it was a real date. He tried to put a move on me, saying we should look like we're totally into each other and not watching for this stalker, and he tried to kiss me then, but I was damn sure not gonna let him get away with that."

"How did he take that?" Nabiki asked, her eyes closed.

"When he tried to force things I twisted his fingers backwards the wrong way till he gave it up, then out of a bush this guy, some friend of Jiro's, jumped up and tried to cop a feel of me but I kicked him in the face. Jiro booted him but just managed to push him back and he ran off. That's when he started on that we had driven the pervert off and kissed me when I wasn't ready."

Despite the disgust in his voice, Nabiki had to ask. "And how was it."

"Awful. Not that I wanted it, but he was pushing his teeth on mine and trying to get his tongue in my throat. Ug gross."

Nabiki shrugged her bare shoulders, "I thought a wannabe womanizer like him would know how to kiss at least."

"Well if I was a girl, I'd still hate it."

Nabiki smirked at that. "So what did you do?"

"There was a fountain in the park, I knocked him out and caught up to his friend. I left both of them hanging by their underwear from it. The next day he started telling stories that we had slept together which then backfired when the school found out about my curse later on."

Ranma could see the hint of a mysterious smile pulling at the corners of Nabiki's mouth, making him frown as he moved back down to return to working her calves, but it was Akane's patting his foot that Ranma couldn't work out the intent of. With a deft swish of his foot, Ranma pinned Akane's wrist to the floor.

"So what else did Akane tell you about what we did?"

Biting her lip, Akane silently struggled to free herself, shifting to get on her side and reach with her other arm for his foot but the bed was too low, she'd have to press up at the bed springs, which would give her presence away to Nabiki on the mattress above.

"She didn't hold back. A hot little tale." Nabiki purred, "If I believe her on it."

The sudden halting of Akane's struggling arm made Ranma pay more attention to that. "You don't?"

"Most girls don't enjoy their first time you know. Akane told a tale I'm tempted to have written out and submitted to a magazines."

Smirking as Akane's arm was again struggling to free itself from under his foot, Ranma slid his hands up to the back of Nabiki's thighs.

"What my sister described was not a nervous virgin's first time."

This time Ranma froze, his hands on her smooth legs. "I though she was?"

Nabiki leaned up on shoulder enough to look back at him, her action covering Akane pushing up enough to roll her shoulders and get her body near the edge of under the bed to reach her other hand to grab his foot in painful ways.

"Not her, idiot. She described a guy who knew far more about it than she did."

Blushing, Ranma refocused on his work while collecting himself, Nabiki leaning back down suddenly very aware of his hands, while Akane's hands on his foot without pressure let him know he had to pick his words very carefully.

"Ah, well, you know it's manly to make it about the girl enjoying it. Mom got me a few old manuals she wanted me to study. I guess knowing a bit and going for it, just worked out good."

Nabiki smirked, face back on her pillow, one eye awkwardly following him. "But was your curse the only exploratory toy?"

"Ah, I don't like being turned on as a girl but yeah, okay, it taught me some stuff that those books mom got me weren't real clear on," the red faced young man quickly stated.

Nabiki was apparently satisfied. "No need to be embarrassed if it gets you praise like Akane gave."

Akane was the one embarrassed this time, her hands vanishing back under the bed. "She said even when you first took her, she nearly passed out from the pleasure."

Ranma smirked, "Really, she looked like she was gonna cry, so I thought it was hurting. I shifted around to get into what my books called a sexually healing position and that helped."

Nabiki suppressed the heat in her body. "You must have studied those books pretty close to recall that in the heat of the moment."

"Nah not really. That move was called 'Wild Horse Leaps', so I always figured that'd be my move. You know, Ranma, wild horse."

Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Ranma, that is so egotistical you had better never let Akane find out."

"Yeah I get that," Ranma replied in a neutral voice as Akane's hands tried to crush every bone in his foot.

The brown eye of the middle Tendo daughter narrowed as her masseuse glanced nervously at his foot while wincing in pain.

* * *

Kasumi looked in the open door to the guest room, apparently left that way by Ranma after he got his massaging accompaniments, his discarded school uniform and training gi on the ground near his pack. Normally she would leave this for Nodoka but since she was here anyway...

Picking up the items of clothing with a smile, she turned away, not seeing the trailing sleeve of Ranma's shirt hook on his backpack, pulling it over.

Hearing it tip over, the eldest Tendo daughter turned, her eyes going wide at the pile of prophylactics that had poured out.

* * *

Nabiki purred as Ranma's strong hands massaged her bare back, his actions smoother and gentler as he started final phases of the massage.

With a lazy sigh, Nabiki stretched her arm out, letting it hang her hand off the edge of her bed, her breath pausing as she listened for the shift of the third wheel hiding under her bed. If Akane wanted to watch her it was time she put on a show.

"Ranma, can I ask a personal question?"

Shrugging as he worked, Ranma tried to figure what was more personal than the subjects already covered. "I guess."

"I was just wondering," Nabiki purred, "As a heterosexual man, how does my body stack up against your fiancées?"

Flushing red, Ranma shuffled his feet to avoid Akane's grip without success.

"Ah, your definitely up there, but you must have had some guys challenging you in Love Dome, what do you care what I think?"

Her arm stretched to brush his thigh. "I want the opinion of a man Ranma, not boys. I know I'm not as big as Shampoo, or athletic as Akane, or sculpted as Sakura."

Under the bed Akane desperately squeezed at Ranma's foot to shut him up as Nabiki put herself down and like an idiot he tried to build her back up.

"Hey you can't compare yourself to Sakura, she denies it but it isn't all naturally her. And trust me you aren't far behind Akane. First day I met you when I had to carry all your stuff while you walked with Akane, I could see you're real close to her, just a little more curved where she has nice muscle tone."

Nabiki smiled, turning her shoulder up enough Ranma had to move his gaze from her emerging side.

"You know Ranma-kun. I think I know why my sister was so desperate to take her one chance when she had you all alone on that camping trip," Nabiki said in a husky voice. Shifting slightly to look up at him, her voice slowed. "Do you understand how you make a woman feel?"

Wincing as Akane's digging fingernails on his calf made it clear how his fiancée felt about Nabiki's words, Ranma swallowed. "Ah, well after a massage you should be calm and relaxed or I did it wrong."

Giving a breathy chuckle and a wicked smirk, Nabiki grabbed the leg of his pants yanking them down to his ankles as he looked down at Akane again.

"That's it!" Akane cried, pushing out and up, nearly upturning the bed with a ripping sound, her skirt catching under Ranma's foot and left behind on the ground.

Nabiki too jumped to her feet, glaring at her distrusting sister, the towel falling, her chest covered with one arm, watching as Ranma fumbled to stay upright with his ankles bound by his pants, his hands grabbing each of the sister's shoulder to stay upright, drawing them close to him.

With a bang, Kasumi barged into her sister's bedroom ready to give the apparently trustworthy Ranma a piece of her mind, her hand trailing a strip of evidence condoms, only to find said young man, pants around his ankles holding her sisters, one missing her skirt, the other missing a lot more.

"You... you..." Kasumi was beyond words as she saw the obvious conclusion, and sprang forward, hands reaching for his throat.

As one, Akane and Nabiki moved between their big sister and Ranma, both grabbing her to hold her back from attacking the only innocent one in the room.

Overbalanced, Kasumi fell backwards as her half-naked sister's grabbed her and pulled her back, her blouse tearing open and one of the buttons shooting off and hitting Ranma on the chin.

Nodoka Saotome finally arrived at the doorway to Nabiki's bedroom, surprised to see a pile of arms and legs and exposed skin of three sisters before her pants down son rubbing his chin apparently thoughtfully, a string of condoms on the ground between them.

"I take it there is an explanation here?"

* * *

"She started it. She was coming onto Ranma," Akane complained, pointing at Nabiki sitting in a dressing gown on the other side of Kasumi on the bed.

"I was teasing, because I knew my 'baby' sister was hiding under my bed unable to trust her fiancé," Nabiki stated in a bored voice.

Kasumi simply sat blushing between her two arguing sister's on the disheveled bed in Nabiki's room while Nodoka heard the story from each girl. Nodoka sighed holding the strip of condoms in her hand.

"I trust him, I was trying to protect him from you," Akane spat back.

Nabiki smirked. "Oh I'd trust him, the way he was looking at our big sister's chest."

Kasumi blushed again, wishing she'd worn a nicer bra before ignoring her libido and wishing she'd not stormed in. She looked up as Aunty Nodoka held up her hand to the girls.

"Well I think I've heard enough. This does look completely innocent except for of course my foolish Husband. I will have words with him next," Nodoka stated, putting the strip of condoms on the desk. "I won't ask any of you to apologize to my son for not trusting his intentions, I dare say he would suggest it was not a big issue. I find it best to ask my son for an explanation about what happens around him. Like his name sake, the 'wild horse', events seem to stampede around him and it helps to slow things down and retrace them before leaping to conclusions."

Nabiki smirked over Kasumi at the blushing Akane who hadn't gotten past the term 'Wild horse', but at least the older sister nodded at Aunty's words.

The second Aunty left the room, the embarrassed Akane and Kasumi followed, both heading for their bedrooms. Closing the door behind them, Nabiki looked down at the bathrobe she wore before heading for her drawers to get some pajamas.

With a frown at her desk, Nabiki wondered where the strip of condoms went.

* * *

Opening her eyes, Akane focused on the constant tapping early in the morning.

Rubbing sleep from her eyes, the youngest Tendo daughter turned her head to see the odd shadow on her closed blinds against the morning sun, something tapping gently on the glass hanging from above.

Slipping out of bed and to her feet, Akane grabbed up a weight bar from the floor as she approached the unusual visitor waking her just after six.

With a fast action, Akane yanked her blind to the side, ready to defend herself, but relaxed seeing her fiancé hanging there. Putting down the weight, Akane pulled open the window, her free hand patting at her hair in case it was standing up after sleeping. "Morning," she said.

"Were you up and working out?" he asked, pointing at the weight while hanging from above the window by one hand.

"I was sleeping till some jerk woke me while acting like a monkey," Akane said back gesturing at his position.

"Yeah well, I didn't get a lot of sleep after last night."

Swallowing and nodding, Akane recalled Aunty Nodoka's words. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you with Nabiki. I just thought she'd embarrass you and me."

Ranma shook his head, "Not that," he stated with a shrug. "How did Happosai convince you to learn a perverted art called Martial Arts Naughty Girl?"

Flushing red, not realizing how cute Ranma thought she was in her yellow pajamas, Akane couldn't look him in the eyes. "It was Naughty Voice, and I had no choice. You might be a pervert who stayed up thinking about that all night but that's all I'm telling you about that."

"Squid-joe-pro," Ranma said, attempting to parrot Nabiki's words the night before. "You wanted to hear some of my stories last night, and you owe me one story at least."

"It's quid-pro-quo, idiot, and no I don't."

"You can either tell me or I'll ask Nabiki to hear it. She said she recorded you using it."

Closing her eyes and taking a breath, Akane glanced around Ranma to see if others were listening before hanging her head and nodding.

Licking her lips, she considered where to start. "It was after Kuno made that wish and got all strong, I couldn't beat him and the others at school kept pressuring me to go on dates when he defeated me. I was already scared but then he started hinting to Daddy about wanting an Omiai and I knew he could probably bully Daddy into it and probably an agreement."

"I needed something to beat Kuno the next day before he talked to Daddy, and I was so scared I nearly went off looking for Aunty like I did when we met. Grandfather Happosai found me leaving and started mocking me for being a coward. I was ashamed and then when he offered to let me prove I am an Anything Goes martial artist, I agreed."

Ranma nodded, scratching and rubbing the back of his neck ashamed of not being there for her despite not knowing her then.

"He took me into the city to this office where all these women were on the phone in booths. It was one of those phone sex companies, you know."

Embarrassment and jealousy surged in Ranma as he imagined some guy talking to Akane like that, but with a cautious nod he let his fiancée continue.

Blushing herself, Akane continued. "Anyway the owner was a woman, Miss Aika Tensei. She didn't want to have anything to do with us at first, Grandfather owed her for calling her with someone else's credit card, but I told her about Kuno and she let me stay and watch and listen. It was embarrassing but what she did with her voice was amazing. Every time on the phone she'd be all breathy but she built up and then released her ki and she couldn't get the guys to hang up if she tried."

Calming at the fact Akane wasn't involved in such a business, Ranma nodded again, idly scratching his nose, still hanging from the roof.

"Just before dawn, she taught me breathing exercises, and the mentality behind it all and wrote up a script for me to memorize. I went to school the next day but arrived late so all the other students were in class but Kuno," she admitted before giving a sigh and looking at her fiancé.

Ranma swallowed and changed hands, seeing what Akane was admitting she wouldn't tell admit to anyone but him.

"I read out what Miss Tensei had written, and it was flowery and like a samurai drama only sexy. Kuno thought I was really coming onto him and for a second I thought he might try to jump on me then and there. That was when I suddenly worked out how Miss Tensei had been doing it, and when I released my ki while still reciting the lines, his eyes got all glazed, I told him to get on his knees and put his bokken away... and he did. So I kicked him in the head."

"It felt so good to feel safe after being so scared of him, then Grandfather arrived and said I'd shown a little hope, and he started training me properly." Akane looked up at her fiancé, hoping he'd understand why she'd learned the perverted art. She hadn't even used it since she bribed Happosai with it. "That's it."

"You're full of crap," Ranma stated. "Talking sexy is not a technique that uses ki."

Akane's face fell at being called a liar, and without considering it she summoned her ki. "Ra-n-ma-kun."

The breathy voice of his fiancée took on a deep rich quality that shook Ranma down to his bones. "Y-yeah?"

A sultry smile on Akane's face locked his eyes on her lips as his breath deepened.

"You know how I feel about you, don't you Ra-n-ma? You know how I wouldn't do anything like this for anyone but you, don't you Ra-n-ma?"

"I-i do."

"Touch my face, Ra-n-ma-kun?"

Nodding with vague eyes, his body trembling, Ranma reached out for her, forgetting the importance of his grip above the window.

The blushing Akane smirked and looked out the window at young man sprawled on the ground below.

Ranma glared up at her, face red with embarrassment. "Get to the dojo, it's training time."

* * *

"That's it Ryoga-kun, gently but firmly, imagine Tendo's lips."

The tiger print bandanna wearing young man eating lunch again in the fancy Kuno mansion with his benefactors and new friends, Mikado and Kodachi, nodding at the repeated instruction. His 'special training' had moved beyond embarrassment and humiliation as he gently worked his lips against the pulp of the half grapefruit, sucking up the juices released.

Nodding at Mikado's student working at his breakfast, Kodachi smiled gently, glad for the Saturday half school day opportunity to come home and spend time with her fiancé and his little friend. In truth she had a pang of disquiet in trying to interfere with Ranma's relationship, but looked at it as testing Akane as worthy of her engagement to Kodachi's blue eyed friend.

"Mistress Kodachi?" Sasuke interrupted quietly. "It happened again."

Looking up at the short ninja manservant, Kodachi's dark eyes narrowed on the servant as he wheeled in a television set and video player. "What happened again?" she asked imperiously.

"The greenhouse was broken into again."

Seething, Kodachi stood up, Mikado and Ryoga following suit. "Wild orchids again?"

"No Mistress Kuno. This time it was from the infusion bay of your roses."  
Controlling her voice, Kodachi looked at the video equipment. "I assume this time you are showing some competence and you have some clue to the identity of this intruder?"

Swallowing at the dangerous lilt in her voice, Sasuke nodded and brought out a folder. "These photos were taken yesterday. They show the foreigner 'Ecchi-Baka', aka 'Pantyhose' Taro approaching Akane Tendo with a bouquet of the wild orchids."

"Pantyhose?" Ryoga growled, recognizing the name of the bully who had come to the Bokuto area long ago. The foreign boy with the monster curse had ambushed him and others in thier cursed forms, before they caught him and found out his hatred for Happosai. Later after Taro escaped, kidnapping the innocent Junko, making Ryoga work with Ranma, Shampoo and Mousse, to rescue her from the 'Water Temple'. It was when that creep had returned again that he had brought the cursed spring of drown twin water, the water that Ranma tricked him into using that gave him his second Jusenkyo curse rather than curing the first.

"You know that jerk?" Mikado asked his nodding student He recalled Akane's ex-boyfriend who he had not seen since last defeating him with Kodachi's help as his Martial Arts Cheerleader.

Leafing through the images, Kodachi spared an eye for the growling young men, Sasuke explained. "He was seen being rejected by, then provoking a fight with Miss Tendo, but as you can see the photos end when the fight went behind a building from our photographer. He was then seen punted towards the canals and Miss Tendo went into school. Then this was captured this morning at the time of the break in."

Switching on the video screen and hitting play on the master control, an image flared of the monstrous chimera form, like a winged minotaur, elements of bull, crane, eel, and octopus in the furred body. The soundless image from the CCTV of the mansion showed the beast stride across the grass, stolen black roses in its hand before taking to the air with powerful beats of its small wings.

"Why is that jerk after Akane?" Ryoga growled, already nervous at opposing Ranma for Akane. Having another man after her was not good for his mood.

Kodachi frowned, then looked to her fiancé. "Mikado dear, will you go down and commandeer my brothers conveyance, we need to visit the Tendo Dojo."

Watching her blond haired future husband nod and move for the door, Kodachi looked to Ryoga. "That foreigner is Akane's ex-boyfriend. They broke up months ago when he broke her heart over something to do with that evil gnome grandfather of hers, Happosai."

"Yeah, Happosai is the only one who can change Taro's na... Happosai is Akane-chan's grandfather?" Ryoga realized.

"Perhaps not biologically but that is what she calls the old toad," Kodachi replied impatiently, glancing for the door to make sure her fiancé was gone. "But that is beside the point. He is another of you, isn't he? Another from Jusenkyo?"

Ryoga nodded.

"Sasuke, we will need to take hot water too."

* * *

Akane sighed in the steaming water of the furo, glad for the chance to wash off. The girls change room at school had had the hot water turned off, so rather than shower there after sports she just dressed and went home after the Saturday half day to clean up in the family bathroom instead. She had worked up more a sweat with a game of tag with Ranma, which took them on a much longer way home. She grinned knowing she had even made him sweat a little too.

Closing her eyes, she briefly played with the fantasy of Ranma joining her, the image of him looking at Nabiki yesterday intruding on her fun.

With a huff, she stood up out of the water, her hands wiping it off her as she moved for a towel to begin drying off. Holding up the middle of the towel, she placed it against her forehead, stretching it around while bowing forward and twisting the ends around, so when she flicked back up her hair was contained in the towel to dry, her hands reaching for a second towel to go around her body and finish drying off.

Some moisturizing, brushing of her teeth, and other personal preparations later, Akane opened the cupboards for a robe, annoyed with herself for not preparing a change of clothes. The cupboard was empty.

Frowning, she glanced at herself in the mirror, briefly considering calling for someone to help, but knew Kasumi and Nodoka were out and wasn't sure if Nabiki was home. Tilting her towel-covered head, Akane recalled Uncle Genma had gone out with Aunty, apparently unwilling to let him stay alone with her and Ranma after the condom 'plan'. If Aunty and Uncle were out she figured it was safe to slip through the house in the towel.

Silent steps she made it to the stairs and started up, quickly reaching the second story without incident, but turning into the hall to reach her room, saw froze as Ranma left the guest room further up the hall. Her cheeks pinked as she saw Ranma's eyes dip to the towel she held around her body.

"Hey," Ranma said overly casually.

"Hey yourself," Akane replied but didn't move for her door.

"I forgot you were cute in just a towel."

Blushing, Akane looked down, a smile teasing her lips. "Better than Nabiki?"

"You're the only one I want to see in and out of that towel."

Akane blushed again, embarrassed by his forwardness, the heat in her body, and the smug grin on his face knowing she liked his attention.

Calming herself, she looked through her eyelashes at him and affected her huskiest voice without channeling her ki. "Do you want me to take off my towel?"

"Right now, right here?"

Nodding, Akane reached up slowly, then with a firm tug pulled the towel wrapped around her head off, poking out her tongue at his disappointed face with the second towel still around her body.

"Tease," Ranma said feeling cheated by Akane for a second time today, and by the promise in general, that he couldn't take this further.

"I'm not as perverted as you," Akane said giving a little laugh. Her laughter stopped when both heard heavy steps on the stairs.

Giving an indulgent smile for Ranma, Akane reached for her door handle to go into her room, her shoulder bumping the still closed door when the handle came off in her hand.

Still looking dumbfounded at the door handle in her hand, Akane just managed to use her arm to pin her towel to her body. In bumping into the door she had loosened it, and it fell open around her back, leaving her holding it only to her front, her back and rear exposed.

Ranma tore his eyes from Akane's predicament to see his fiancée's father enter the hall behind Akane.

"Urk."

Akane spun around to see who it was, banging her elbow on the wall, the jarring sensation sparking up the nerves of her arm. Flapping her elbow released her towel, her hand grabbing it before it hit the floor, both hands bringing the towel to preserve her modesty. It took another moment for the embarrassed girl to realize she was still holding two separate towels, hindering her efforts. Embarrassment finally gave way to anger and with a fast boot to open her door, she vanished inside shutting it behind her.

Ranma looked nervously at Soun, mind switching from Akane's body to Nabiki's words from the night before.

'... when Kasumi got possessed by a demon and ended up caught by Daddy undressed with Akane's ex-boyfriend, there were tears.'

Swallowing, Ranma prepared to be chewed out by a wrathful father.  
Soun burst into tears.

* * *

Calming herself, Akane put a chair against her broken door and moved to her drawers, taking out clean underwear and dressing quickly. Zipping up a long denim skirt, she reached for a blouse when she heard a tapping on her window.

Glancing at the closed blind, recalling Ranma hanging there that morning, she wondered what he expected coming to her so quickly. Glancing down at her blue and white striped bra, she was tempted briefly to open the window immediately but instead slipped on the blouse and buttoned it up.

With a fast action she pulled the window and blinds open at the same time, shrieking at the monstrous bull head where she expected her fiancé. Snaking in the window, black tentacles reached for the young woman, wrapping around her stomach quickly, squeezing tight before she could take good breath. As quickly as they were there, the tentacles relaxed, her body automatically gulping air as a bunch of black roses were shoved in her face, her reaction inhaling the pollen as she struggled before going limp.

* * *

Hearing Akane's scream had the two deeply uncomfortable men in the hall moving instantly, Ranma barging through the door into her room first to see the giant bull head of Taro's monstrous cursed form through Akane's window, Akane herself no where to be seen.

"Taro!" Ranma roared, jumping forward, but ducking down as the massive hairy fist of his opponent, bashed in the window at him.

Turning his fist over, Taro hit the roof inside Akane's room to bring down debris, delaying Ranma as the monster strode away from the building, Akane limp in the octopus tentacles on his broad bestial back. Reaching the wall, Taro looked back at the Tendo home even as Ranma burst out and landed on the grass, Soun right behind him out the doors in his full armor, spear at the ready.

"Daughter!"

"Give her back Taro!"

The two shouting men charged forward, Ranma the faster, but forced to duck when a tentacle waving a bouquet of black roses swept over his head. A second shot at him, making him roll backwards from the sneering beast.

Soun was less successful as the first tentacle Ranma ducked swept into him, his helmeted head meeting with the black blossoms, his momentum carrying his body on to crash into the grass as the narcotics dragged him rapidly into slumber.

Twisting around Ranma kicked the heads off an approaching bouquet of the black roses, using the momentum to twist to his feet.

"Just give her back 'Ecchi-baka'!" Ranma warned angrily.

Taro smirked down at Ranma with contempt, interlacing his big hands and cracking his knuckles confidently, before taking a stance and waving Ranma in to try again.  
Which was when the jet of hot water hit Taro in the side of the head.

"Hohohohohohoho!"

With a thump Akane's limp body hit the ground as Taro's monstrous form shrank down into his naked male form, his eyes looking up the laughing Kodachi standing on the Tendo yard wall in her common place leotard with a large pump action water pistol giving off a light steam.

"You see, my love," Kodachi said to Mikado as he jumped onto the yard wall on the other side armed similarly. "With the right knowledge and tools, one can render the strongest of stupid beasts impotent. Hohohohohoho!"

Snarling, Taro would have given a scathing reply but was forced to save his breath as Ranma struck hard, blurring in with lightning hands. The Chinese young man diving just clear and sprinting for a free part of the wall, his leap up to the top of the wall matched by a larger figure jumping up from the outside.

"Pigboy?" Taro managed to growl before Ryoga's hand found his throat, the momentum with the heavier Japanese male to keep them in the Tendo yard as he drove Taro into the ground, neck first.

Ryoga stood up grinning with victory, only for his smile to fall as Ranma was tending to the down Akane who had failed to witness his entrance.

* * *

Taro growled from the ground, a towel from the clothes line, and Kodachi's ribbon had him decent and bound on the grass of the Tendo yard. Ryoga helped lean the unconscious Soun against a wall near where Ranma was tending to the unconscious Akane.

Still holding the water pistol, Kodachi watched Ranma work leaving Mikado to watch Taro.

"They'll be fine in a while. Those blossoms this thief stole from my greenhouse were mature, and so their effects are predictable," Kodachi stated airily.

Ranma glanced up at the black haired Kuno, annoyed at her casual reference to the poison plants she grew. But for her timely arrival in stopping Taro from escaping with his unconscious fiancée he would let anything slide.

With a nod for the girl, Ranma stood, surprised to see Ryoga here. If not for the tiger stripped bandanna on the lost boys head he might have not recognized him in the dark slacks, a crisp white shirt, black dress shoes, all identical to what Mikado wore. Looking back to Kodachi he nodded at Ryoga. "He's here with you?"

"Any friend of Mikado-chan's, is, of course, a friend of mine. And he does have so many fascinating stories. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that Taro had been to that part of China. Hohohohohoho!"

Nodding again and trying not to wince at Kodachi's laughter, Ranma glance to Mikado wondering if the lecherous blond now knew about cursed forms including his own.

"Oh shut her up!" Taro's voice complained from his position bound on the grass.

"Little boys unable to get girls to go out with them willingly should be too ashamed to talk," Mikado said, standing over Taro.

"Sleaze bags who pick up at the local loony bin should keep it to themselves."

Mikado sneered, "Stand up and say that? Oh yeah, you can't."

"I'm surprised your standing," Taro spat back, "Aren't you a little fag boy in tights and always on skates?"

Ryoga's hand held back Mikado from action, but it was Kodachi who stepped up. "Ecchi-baka dear, I assure you that my Mikado is more a man than you can imagine."

"Oh surprise, 'Mistress of Pain' stands up for her gimp," Taro deadpanned.

Mikado had heard enough, twisting under Ryoga's blocking hand he booted the foul mouthed foreigner, the kick to the stomach sending him rolling. Taro just rolled with it in his bound form straight into and over the rocks, into the Tendo pond.

With a mighty roar the monstrous form of the cursed Chinese man burst from the water and bindings, rushing forward to attack.

Kodachi automatically raised her water pistol and fired, but in the past minutes outside on a winter day, the water had cooled too far to be effective.

Taro lashed out, driving between the four, tentacles sweeping into Mikado and Ryoga, while hairy fists driving at Kodachi and Ranma. Dodging the fist coming at him, Ranma kicked the other off from the rolling Kodachi, twisting to strike up a kick into the beast's chest.

Behind Taro, Ryoga wrestled with the powerful octopus appendages, concerned for Mikado when the blond haired martial artist was tossed from the fray to the Tendo wall. Yanked along as Taro was driven back by the fists and kicks of Ranma, Ryoga dug in his heels to stop the giant from reaching the water of the pond and taking him out of the fight.

With a swipe of his massive fist, Taro drove Ranma, a feint that cost him when Taro pointed two fat fingers at him, a jet of black octopus ink firing into his face. Twisting his other bestial arm backwards, a second blast of the black ink splashed into the struggling Ryoga.

Coughing on ink, Ryoga was lifted by Taro's powerful tentacles, the giant spinning to hit Ranma with Ryoga, using the fanged martial artist was a weapon, before flinging the young man in the tiger print bandanna at Kodachi, knocking the last standing opponent from her feet.

With a heavy fist, Taro punched the dazed Ranma in the stomach, grabbing his face between large finger and thumb, smirking at his open mouth as he pulled out a couple of tiny blue pills and flicking them down his throat. Clamping his hand on Ranma's face, he used one big hairy finger to stroke his throat and make him swallow. Feeling the Japanese man's throat undulate, he tossed him aside.

Brushing the ink from his eyes, the dazed Ranma got one eye clear enough to look around, spotting Taro standing away from him, tapping the side of his monstrous head meaningfully at his Japanese opponent, before taking to the sky with powerful beats of its crane like wings.

Akane Tendo, still unconscious, hung from the tentacles on the beast's back as it flew away.

For Ecchi-baka Taro, phases one and two of his plan were complete, the bait was caught and the Viagra would be working by the time Ranma caught up.

* * *

"Head south and towards the coast," Ranma demanded of the diminutive ninja while still wiping the ink from his face.

Impatiently he watched Ryoga and Mikado cleaning up, both of their shirts in tatters from the fight.

"So he took another girl to this water temple before?" Kodachi asked, going over what Ranma had said previously when she had offered their stretch limousine to pursue the flying opponent.

The blue eyed young man looked up at Kodachi, the dark haired beauty now in a mink coat against the winter chill. "Yeah, he kidnapped a friend called Junko. Ryoga, me, and a couple other Chinese friends went and kicked his ass."

Ryoga nodded, swallowing thinking of his curse. "You really think he's going back to that temple?"

"He all but told me he was."

Ryoga bared his teeth, showing the prominent points of his incisors. "Then he could have gone anywhere to do anything to Akane-chan while we follow you on a wild goose chase."

"If you've got a better place to look, lets hear it pig-boy?" Ranma demanded.

"Hohohohohohoho!"

The loud sharp laughter of the Kuno heiress made the boys stop arguing, looking to her as she pulled open a gymnastics kit bag from the cupboard under the espresso machine in the limousine. Pulling out two uniforms, she reached up to hit the button to open the sunroof. "Ranma-kun, why don't you join me above, you can make sure we are heading the right way. As it is I must give the boys the illusion of privacy while they change."

Mikado looked at the male gymnastics uniforms, his lips frowning. Before he could offer a refusal his fiancée looked at his ruined shirt and Ryoga's ruined and inked stained one. "Yes dear, you must wear them. These are easier to replace than those dress items and as this old temple is on rough terrain your skating skills will be at best hindered. You'll need to rely on the gymnastics I taught you."

Her dark eyes looked to Ryoga, "I believe you mentioned you were versed in Rhythmic gymnastics yourself. Normal and my special tools are in the bags. Now both of you get changed."

Considering the matter settled, Kodachi put on a pair of designer sunglasses and passed Ranma a pair before standing up in the moving vehicle as they sped down the road.

* * *

Speeding down the expressway, Ranma was squinting behind the sunglasses keeping the wind from his eyes, trying to see the flying figure in the sky ahead but couldn't make Taro out.

Kodachi, her black hair waving behind her in the wind as she stood with Ranma, their upper bodies out the sunroof of her brother's stretch limousine, glanced to the young man beside her. "I apologize for Mikado losing his temper to that foul mouthed goon and letting him reach cold water again."

Ranma shook his head, a twitch of a smile appeared on his lips that vanished quickly. "No biggy. I threw a glass of water in his face without thinking when we had him tied up once a year ago. Just as long as we get to Akane quickly. He's prepared a trap and wasn't gonna leave without making me go through it."

Smiling her white teeth, Kodachi pulled her mink coat around her body against the wind chill as the vehicle sped on.

Giving up on spotting Taro expecting he had reached the Temple by now, Ranma glanced to the young woman. "I didn't think you liked Akane enough to go rescue her?"

Kodachi's cheeks pinked. "Akane-chan and I have a lot of history and not a lot of it friendly, but is it not good enough that I am here because she is the fiancée of my friend?"

Ranma glanced at the dark haired girl, "Thanks," he said gratefully just over the blowing wind.

The moment lasted seconds before his face fell. He squirmed awkwardly. He knew he felt nothing but friendship for the girl beside him, yet unmistakably felt something stirring in his body, something he was keenly aware shouldn't be happening away from Akane.

Trying to appear casual, Ranma looked ahead. "So why haven't you told Mikado about... Ryoga and my conditions?"

"Hohohohohohohoho!" Kodachi's shrill laughter cut through the cold at Ranma bringing up the Jusenkyo curses. "My dear, you and Akane-chan have much to learn about keeping spice in a relationship."

Ranma had no idea what that meant, looking ahead rather than at the girl. In the distance, familiar landmarks from his last trip here were in sight. "Not far now, we need to take the next right."

The way Kodachi vanished suddenly back down inside the vehicle surprised him.

Kodachi glared at her fiancé who had pulled her back down into the limo, interrupting her conversation with Ranma.

Her blond partner glared right back, "And what exactly are you two talking about?" he hissed, pointing at the prominent bulge in the front of Ranma's pants.

"My my," Kodachi said fanning herself, even as Ranma bent down.

"Hey driver, the next right," he said before looking to see the two men glaring at him and Kodachi blushing.

"What's up?" he asked, glancing at Mikado's black gymnastics tights, his arms bare and cut low in the front to expose his smooth chest to the topmost abdominal muscle. Across the stomach a yellow-gold band was marked with Kodachi's black rose insignia.

"Hohohohohoho!" Kodachi laughed, cutting the tension back, and gesturing towards his pants. "Ranma-kun, I believe my fiancé is worried that we were discussing naughty things and I excited you."

"Urk," Ranma croaked, red faced.

"I must admit I am more worried it was the thought of these boys changing that has affected you so."

Eyes bugging out, Ranma shook his head, "Hell no. I was just, ah, thinking of Akane."

Ryoga, now wearing a similar set of tights to Mikado, grabbed Ranma's neck. "Animal!"

"Boys, as much as I like to see handsome men wrestle, might we save our energy for Taro?"

"I can take him!" "I can take him!"

Ranma and Ryoga glared at each other for speaking in stereo.

* * *

Ranma adjusted himself, annoyed by the unprompted and uncomfortable erection that refused to go down. He would have been mocking the two muscular young men in their ridiculous athletics tights but with his embarrassing problem he wasn't going to be caught looking at two guys in this state.

His eyes drifted across from the nearest road to the rough terrain. In the distance he could see the balcony of the water temple on its cliff top position over the sea. Maybe three kilometers away.

The sound of the espresso machine hissing in the limousine signified the final preparations as Ryoga hefted his umbrella but also had a gymnastics ribbon, coiled up and ready to use. Similarly Mikado held a ribbon and a circular hoop in preparation for the battle ahead, its outer side honed to a sharp edge. Kodachi stood beside the vehicle door impatiently waiting for the ninja within to finish his duties.

"Okay," Ranma said to draw attention to himself. "About a kilometer from the temple a waterfall runs down it to the coast. There are some hot springs down there, but all the rest of it is cold water. Under the temple itself are traps upon traps, rock falls and such but many will jet out water if you're not careful. Remember, that ta turn into the beast he needs only a little cold water. So if we get him human, he will go for a water trap or the river, whatever is closer."

"If he prepared this place, he did it aimed to slow me down. You guys he shouldn't be really ready for, but keep alert. He'll try to knock you out so he can concentrate on me as the biggest threat."

Mikado looked unimpressed while Ryoga growled at the put down.

"Hohohohohoho! A simple strike, we take him down and rescue Akane-chan. Very easy."

The three boys winced wondering if their position was given away but as the high laugh echoed over the valleys, it came back even creepier, as if a half dozen identical Kodachi Kuno's were closing in on the area.

"Yeah, take him down, get to the top and rescue Akane," agreed Mikado, glancing at Ryoga meaningfully.

Ranma nodded and turned his back, missing Ryoga nod to Mikado that he understood he had to be the first to Akane.

Sasuke stepped to the limousine door, the sound of the espresso machine cooling as he handed Kodachi the first of the brightly colored water pistols. "Be careful mistress, they're extra hot." The diminutive ninja passed three more of the children's toys with hot water to the young men, and another non-steaming one in, trimmed in black and gold, to Mikado.

With a nod, the four turned and sprang off, rushing through the bushes to get to the target before the hot water cooled too much.

Sasuke watched them go, sipping at a cup of espresso.

* * *

"Hohohohoho... Hohohohoho... Hohohohoho..."

Not for the first time Akane Tendo struggled back to consciousness at the sound of Kodachi Kuno's laughter, but normally it was in her face, not so distant and repeating.

"Good timing," Taro's voice intruded, "I was worried you wouldn't wake up in time to watch me beat down on your fem-boy girlfriend and the gay cheer squad."

Turning her head to yell expletives at Taro, Akane managed to make some noises through the pantyhose twisted and bound around her head as a gag, but she was really surprised when her head sprang to face forward with elastic pressure. Using her eyes to looked down, Akane was able to see peripherally that she was bound and wrapped in layer upon layer of knotted together pantyhose like some deformed Egyptian mummy.

"Save your efforts, you're not going to bust out of it or talk your way out of this."

Several more growls came from Akane as he positioned her just inside the temple to be able to see out the door but not down the mountain.

"I'm going to assume that was a threat about what your beloved dickless wonder will try to do to me. Which will get him angrier, like this?" Holding up her yellow blouse and denim skirt, Taro waved them from side to side, then up and down. "Or this?"

Smirking, the Chinese young man nodded at her angry muffled yelling. "Yes, yes, I'm a man, so I'm a pervert."

Walking away from the muffled yelling and leaping off the balcony, Taro tossed Akane's outer clothing away behind some rocks. He'd have taken her underwear too to make this plan foolproof, but he wasn't that much of an animal. The little blue pills he had forced on the dazed Ranma back at the dojo would make sure her rescuer was in the right state.

Approaching the prepared bonfire, Taro ignited a cigarette lighter and put it to a simple torch, a wooden stick with a tip dipped in oily tar. Stepping up to the tall dry wood lattice, he began to ignite the sides. Soon enough the flames reached the core of the bonfire, lightly filled with greener leaves to put up the smoke like he had last time when he had kidnapped that bratty Junko girl. "Come on fem-boy, your bride is stewing up there waiting for a hero. Of course what she'll get is a shameless pervert, and we all know how much Akane Tendo likes perverts."

* * *

Kasumi and Nodoka looked down at Soun in his armor.

It had been a shock to see the damage to the house and yard, but not surprising that Akane and Ranma were missing.

"I'm sure they're okay. I guess we just have to wait for them to come back."

Kasumi nodded at Nodoka's words. "What do we do about Father?"

"GENMA!" Nodoka called.

* * *

Making good time over the brush and scrub and rocky terrain, most of the foursome of the rescue team moved with surprising grace, reaching the river to look up at the climb towards the cliff top temple. Ranma was the only one having problems with the hike, but that had little to do with the terrain. Still, he led and while the others were faster than his awkward gait, they followed, though even Ryoga would have a hard time getting lost with the column of signal smoke from above leading them in.

Across the swift river, Ecchi-baka Taro looked contemptuously at them in his loose pants and scaled vest. "Just like last time you need help to beat me, fem-boy? A little cannon fodder to wear me down. Pig-boy didn't even learn the lesson."

Angered further by the insult, Ryoga stepped forward. "Where's Akane?" he demanded.

Taro smirked, "Where you'd expect. She and I just needed to talk about old times."

"Hohohohohohoho!" Kodachi laughed, "A gentleman normally doesn't need drugs to talk to a girl."

"I wonder where I got the idea? Didn't you kidnap the blond prancer here doing the same thing?" Taro spat back, surprised that Kodachi had the good grace to blush, and even despite the insult Mikado smirked at the fond memory of their 'first date'.

Catching Ranma subtly adjusting his pants again, Taro smirked and waited for Ranma to act.

"Why are you doing this Taro? How is this going to help you change your name?"

Taro looked contemptuously at Ranma.

"Couldn't this be about her? About showing her I'm the only one for her?"

"You filthy scum..." Ryoga began only to be cut off by Ranma.

"You lying nylon narcissist. You aren't capable of thinking about others. And even if you did feel that way about Akane, you'd have done something more in the last six months than stay away."

Taro growled. "Well if you were so in love with her you'd be over this river already."

Ranma smirked, "Don't need to be. Muteki Kurohyou Me-To!"

Aimed slightly down, Ranma brought his emotion and ki into his hands, shoving it forward with the cry of 'Unyielding Panther Mate' to send it skirting over the water of the river. The natural tendency of the light ki to rise curved up into the target, Taro raising his arms to block but was staggered backwards into the stones behind him.

Focusing on imagining Akane's eyes seeing him in the embarrassing and tight gymnastics outfit, letting words of rejection build his emotions, Ryoga Hibiki threw forth his own hands. "Shishi Hokodan!"

Dazed from the first attack, Taro was open to Ryoga's own ki blast technique, the 'Lions Roar Blast' casting the Chinese warrior backwards to crash into the rocks.

Slightly nervous at the caliber of the other two fighters throwing such big attacks so early, Kodachi and Mikado both knew the importance of moving into position for an attack while your team mate strikes. Lithely running onto irregular rocks breaking the surface of the river, Mikado led but stopped mid way and without looking back, put his arm out for Kodachi. With precision and grace, Kodachi grabbed his arm and with the strength of both, was flung ahead across the rushing waters to the other side.

A gurgling sound behind Taro was the only warning before the stones broke free a torrent of water, and with a roar he burst from his clothes, the great hairy minotaur like form angry and ready to fight.

Landing in a graceful tumble and smoothly rolling to her feet, Kodachi twisted into a handless sideways gymnastic flip, firing the water pistol of hot water at Taro's chest.

Striking true, Kodachi's face fell as he failed to change back to human. In her urgency to return him to his human form, she failed consider that her small stream of hot water would be unable to override the chill water still jetting into his back from behind the rock wall behind him.

Lashing tentacles groped for the dark haired girl, forcing her back, herding her till one snatched her weapon, her grip doing little but snap the plastic handle off the toy turned weapon as he yanked it from her and cast it into the river.

Leaping from rock to rock, Ranma and Ryoga crossed the water flow and landed on the bank of the river, looking for Kodachi as she cartwheeled back out of Taro's reach. The pair divided to approach Taro apart, Ryoga annoyed as Mikado darted up the rock side, climbing quickly towards the temple at the top.

Gaining enough height part way up the rock face, careful to stand on clean rock and not the strange odd black patches dotting the grounds he now saw from above, Mikado turned flicking the razor hoop he held around him once and leaping up, into the ring itself. "Koorisuberi enjin no meiun!"

Lithely compacting his form inside the ring of the razor hoop, his arms held out for balance, his gymnastics shoes on the rim sliding as the hoop rolled down hill with the speed of his weight, cutting stone as he called his 'Skating the ring of doom!' attack.

Snorting at the approaching fighters around him, Taro focused and blurred, tearing across the ground to be clear of Mikado's descent carving into the ground where he just stood. Funneling his power to his legs to move faster, Taro bellowed, unable to articulate his attack. With a thump he caught Ryoga with the speed of his 'Power Gore', flinging the bandanna wearing opponent up and back. With a animal like snort, the beast turned away expecting that even if the gore of his horns had failed to take pig-boy down, he would be out of the fight when he landed in the river and his curse activated.

Grunting and winded from the blow that failed to pierce his breaking point trained skin, Ryoga twisted and opened his umbrella. The sheer weight of the umbrella would never delay his descent, instead he inverted it, his feet landing in the heavy weapon as it landed on the river, his momentum pushing it like a boat to reach the opposite shore of the river without getting splashed.

Dodging clear of Mikado before the blond caught him with his own attack, Ranma glanced up the hill but decided to take down Taro before trying for it before one of his rescue team got seriously hurt. Rushing in, Ranma ran at the beast, Taro smirking his bull lips, tentacles slamming the ground to free more water traps, Ranma tossing his water pistol away, giving it up as useless while Taro stood in the middle of cold water traps.

Leaping up, Ranma went for his head, kicks and punches being blocked by the beast hairy arms, but a few got through. Octopus limbs reached from Taro's back, forcing Ranma to kick back out of range, but found the shooting pain in the sensitive problem in his pants in the way, the tentacles wrapping around his body.

Struggling, Ranma closed his eyes as he was splashed in the face with black ink before being tossed away like a rag doll.

Rolling across the ground and wiping his face to clear his eyes, Ranma frowned. Ignoring his three companions fighting the monster, the dark haired young man looked at his clothes and where he had been tossed. He was covered in circles of some sort of sticky black substance, something that had transferred from Taro's tentacles when the monster had grabbed him. As if that weren't suspicious enough, the jerk had tossed him away but clear of cold water so prominently around them.

"What's your game, Taro?" Ranma asked himself.

* * *

Taro bellowed angrily as a black ribbon encircled his heavy wrist, Ryoga tensing the weapon, a second gymnastics ribbon from Mikado grabbing the beasts other arm to pull back enough to hold it as Ryoga's greater strength stretched the beast.

Beating his crane wings, Taro tried to take off and drag the boys with him, but like a shadow, Kodachi appeared and struck from behind, her own ribbon binding the wings. Gravity brought the giant back down, crashing to his knees in the water.

In the cold water Taro was immune to their water pistols, but that didn't seem to worry Kodachi as she drew out a gymnastics club with her free hand, depressing a hidden stud. A fat spark of electricity lit across it end with a ticking sound. Locking the button on, she tossed it into the water rushing around Taro's feet.

"Hohohohohoho!"

With a zapping sound Taro's spine straightened suddenly, his limbs flinching at the voltage crossing the water into him. With a nod to Mikado ahead of Taro, both young men with the ribbons on the beasts arms rushed forward, toppling the still flinching opponent onto the rocky ground.

"Hohohohohoho!" Kodachi howled again, before looking over at Ranma, "I think we have it in hand here, Ranma-kun."

Nodding, Ranma started climbing, careful of the traps, frowning at an ugly patch of black goo pooled on a ledge.

The effect of the baton shaped taser apparently weakening, Ryoga and Mikado strained to drag the fallen enemy from the water. Clear of the river, Mikado motioned for Ryoga to start climbing, hoping his fanged friend could reach the top before Ranma as he dropped his own ribbon and pumped the pressure on his hot water filled kids toy.

Raising it to fire at the downed monster, Taro raised a hand, sending back a stream of black ink into its path. Mikado made the mistake of ducking back from the staining ink, rather than adjust his aim. Too fast Taro was back on his feet.

The first punch knocked Mikado off his feet, his water pistol clattering away, Taro looking at the two figures half way up the hillside to the temple as his tentacles gathered heavy stones.

Waiting for Ranma to get to a particular stage, Taro bellowed and channeled his ki into his legs as he had with his earlier charge into Hibiki, this time spinning fast enough on the spot to blur, this tentacles lashing out to flick heavy stones like a catapult up to the cliff top, past those climbing, up to the bonfire at the top, shattering it and scattering the flaming wood.

Tar, gathered the previous evening and dribbled down the cliff, lit like a wick by flaming debris above, flames following it down, outlining a lattice of fire on the hillside.

Ranma frowned at the approaching fire, ignoring it to jump ahead, when a random lick of flame reached Taro's trap, the tar he had slapped onto Ranma's clothes with his tentacles earlier. It caught fire now.

With a yelp Ranma tore the garments from his body, diving from the fire for a beam of wood, certainly part of a rockfall or water trap but had to be safer than the flames.

* * *

Taro idly grabbed at the dazed Mikado, but his eyes were on Ranma who was diving for the water trap. His distraction cost him as the skate-less ice skater dove and rolled aside.

Above, Ranma got a mouthful of dirty water, as the wooden beam he grabbed dropped, loose the hidden trap of high pressure water, gushing into his face and body. The water pounding against his suddenly much lighter female body nearly flung him from the hillside, but the red-head's strong fingers kept a grip as her body was extended horizontally out.

Splashed with water from above, Kodachi felt a light wet slap to the face, surprised to find Ranma's boxers on her head, blown off the reduced hips of his smaller girl form. Glancing up the flaming and smoking mountainside, Kodachi tossed the sodden cloth aside to focus on her fiancé facing the beast.

Twisting his body around another stream of hot water, Taro grabbed again after the nimble opponent, animal eyes picking his movements on the ground to press the blond young man into a trap, but it was Mikado's own eyes that endangered him, glancing up towards the temple to see a nymph like beauty showing a lot of skin bounced gratuitously through the flames.

The solid yeti fist slammed into Mikado, the other hairy hand grabbing the vulnerable hot water pistol and flinging it away up to the temple as the beast kept after the skater.

Above, Ranma dodged the heat of the flames. He ignored the fact he was naked in his currently female body, concentrating on climbing, and hoping Ryoga might reach the temple and find Akane. Not that it was likely with the his former rival's sense of direction, but each holdup of his own efforts left him feeling more powerless. 'Ryoga was probably lost in the smoke already', Ranma thought jokingly but didn't smile, his concern spiking for Akane if this fire was in the temple. He was positive that for Akane to have not come out by now, Taro must have kept to unconscious, or restrained somehow.

Bunching his legs, Ranma leapt to the next area of the hillside that was free of the burning tar. A shadow above him caught his attention, snagging the hot water pistol Taro had tossed away from his fight below.

Landing in a safe enough spot, pressed up against the stone and dirt, the red head looked at the toy turned weapon for a long moment. After all Taro did to keep him wet and in his weaker girl form the first time they battled here, to have tossed this hot water into his path was obviously part of Taro's plan and not random happenstance.

Shooting himself in the face to return to male form, he reasoned it was still better to be stronger and not a bare Ranko near Mikado. Carrying the weapon, Ranma started climbing again, darting over and around the the hot fires again. He winced as he felt his nethers reacting again, still unaware of the Viagra in his blood.

* * *

"Hohohohohohoho!" Kodachi howled with laughter that grew more amused as Taro looked away from her fiancé to her, letting Mikado slip back out of reach.

With a glance, the two partners made a plan.

"You must think you're very clever turning this water temple into a fire temple?" Kodachi called, moving in with a pair of gymnastic clubs in her hands. She smirked as the beast before her casually shrugged with smugness. "But even now do you see your mistake?"

Mikado closed range, careful to keep clear of the reach of Taro's tentacles, he brought out the second water pistol he carried, this one much longer and a little worn from previous use, black with golden trim.

"You foolishly seek a fight with the premier martial arts ice skating team of 'Black Gold', and now you want to play with fire against us?"

Taro bellowed at the odd burning in his octopus tentacles, turning to see Mikado hosing him with the second liquid projector, this one coming with the foul stench of refined oil.

"Hohohohoho!" Kodachi laughed raising one club, thumb on the hidden button, "Need a light?"

-Fwoosh!-

With a flash, sparks exploded from the baton like club, burning Taro and igniting the petrol sprayed on his body.

"Hohohohohoho!" Kodachi laughed as her opponent lumbered to the river and dove in to escape the flames.

* * *

Akane leaned against her elastic bindings, nervous of the flames outside, terrified and sure Ranma was out there walking into Taro's traps. The glow of flames in the courtyard of the temple was growing, and from what she could see, the smoke was increasing, wafting in the doorway of the temple.

Suddenly through the haze, her eyes spotted a figure stumbling around outside. To her surprise, she saw it was Ryoga Hibiki. Not one to complain about good fortune, she began to cry out through the muffling pantyhose gag, hoping he would hear even as the young man in the tiger print bandanna looked everywhere but towards her.

With a bellow Taro burst up from the water, enraged and seething at the pain from the light searing he had received, especially bad on his sensitive tentacles. This was way worse than flying all day without putting sunscreen on his extra limbs.

Surging out of the river he raised his arms, a heavy stone from riverbed in each massive hand. He tossed them overhand, aiming not for the members of black gold but at their feet.

Kodachi and Mikado both predictably leaped from the attacks, neither prepared as the stones shattered into a spread of flying chunks. Kodachi's tucking roll allowed her to only take stinging impacts. Mikado, who went for twirling jump, took a heavy hit to feet, knocking him sideways, landing heavily and awkwardly on the ground.

Charging forward Taro reached the blond opponent before he could stand. His hairy hand chopped across Mikado's upper chest, to slam him into the stone.

Kodachi screamed, enraged at the vicious blow to her fiancé as the water burst from behind the stone around the pair. She charged in, crying out her attack, "Sentekonbou!"

Taro grunted as his tentacles were battered away by Kodachi's hands blurring with bashing gymnastic club blows. What the monster had perceived was just two batons kept bashing the back and sides of his head, despite his tentacles knocking some away till finally twenty batons were discarded around them and Kodachi stepped back panting and empty handed.

Growling, Taro raised his free hand to squirt ink at Kodachi, distracting her as he brought the limp Mikado around, held up by his neck. Holding him like a shield against Kodachi, Taro looked up as he searched for his real target.

Flexing his back, he snapped Kodachi's ribbon which fell away from Taro's wings, the crane like feathers unfolding before he took off into the air. Kodachi darted up the flaming hillside in pursuit.

* * *

Through the smoke, Ryoga looked for any sign of Akane around the cliff top temple, but moved cautiously still to avoid water traps.

Finally through the smoke and an open doorway, Ryoga made out the struggling, vaguely human shape of the heavily bound Akane.

Rushing forward, Ryoga tried not to look too eager, Mikado's words of being aloof from their 'training' sessions echoing in his ears as he moved for the building.

His face fell when a bare Ranma armed with a water pistol, jumped on his head, leaping ahead of him and into the building.

Akane sighed in relief as Ranma bound out of the smoke and into the building, her breath catching as his state of dress and eyes crossing at his other state.

"Ranma!" Ryoga yelled, charging in after Ranma, red faced at the naked rival waving his junk in his future date's face.

Ignoring him, Ranma got Akane's gag out of her mouth, but before he could ask if she was okay, she spoke first. "Ranma I know saving me is exciting but no!" She yelled, eyes still below the waist.

"It ain't like that, I don't know why but it won't go down!" Ranma yelled back, nervous now for his erratic manhood, now that his fear for Akane was relieved.

Ryoga moved up and grabbed his shoulder to pull him back and away from Akane, but Ranma twisted his shoulder free of the grip to keep examining how Taro had bound Akane. "Get away from her you pervert!" Ryoga demanded.

Turning angrily at his fanged rival, Ranma stood over him immodestly. "Thanks for your help Ryoga, but this is my fiancée, I think she wants to be freed more than worry about me finding pants."

Ryoga's eyes glanced to Akane who was unhelpfully still staring inappropriately. "The only person she needs freeing from is you."

"What the hell? She is my fiancée!"

"Yeah, one of three, but I'm only there for her when we date next week!"

Ranma froze, then looked confused at the red faced Akane. "Um, it's a double date, I was going to tell you but we've been busy."

His mouth open for a no doubt scathing reply, Ranma was cut off by Kodachi's cry from outside.

"Give him back you freak!"

Ranma internalized his confusion and anger, with a single hand dragging the bound Akane by one part of the pantyhose knotted 'rope' she was mummified in. Moving out the doorway into the temple courtyard, the trio could see Kodachi yelling at the monstrous Taro flying above, the blond Mikado hanging limply from his hand.

Seeing the monster flying toward the ocean, Ranma turned to Ryoga. "Make yourself useful and don't let go!" he cried, sticking part of Akane's bonds in the lost boy's hand and forcing his arm up so she was left hanging. Grabbing the loose end, he ran for the cliff face.

Akane closed her eyes as her body twirled as she was unraveled, controlling her breathing and focusing her mind to try to resist the coming nausea.

"Oi, Taro!" Ranma called as he dashed towards the cliff edge, trying to get the beast man's attention. "Time for another meteor kick you pantyhose punching-bag!"

Despite himself, Taro looked back at the naked figure charging, leaving the bound Akane with the idiot pig boy. He gave a grunt hoping his plan had taken seed, but there was no way to see the look on Akane's face as she spun like a spinning top.

Growling, the beast banked right, heaving its body and arm to fling the unconscious young man it carried back towards the temple. Kodachi cried seeing Mikado heading towards Ryoga and Akane, "Catch him!"

Even if Akane's hands were free, she was spinning too fast to catch the falling martial artist. Ryoga on the other hand was too focused on the flashes of creamy flesh mixed with white and blue underwear emerging as the damsel in distress, that he was hit clean in the head by the falling skater.

No longer held back by Ryoga's hand, Akane bounced after the tensed line Ranma pulled from her, her spinning slowing as she shot towards him.

Taro "Moo'ed!" in victory as he set Akane to collide with his naked opponent.

Ranma growled, reaching the edge of the cliff ready to leap when he felt the pantyhose knotted rope go slack, spinning to see Akane not free but hurtling towards him at the edge of the cliff. "You better want payback," he cried as with one smooth action, he grabbed and tossed his fiancée at the flying beast.

Twirling free of her bindings, Akane kept a grip on one end of the pantyhose rope as she flew uncontrolled at her captor. Lashing out with her foot, she connected with one side of his head, twisting Taro into a roll but her own momentum took her over and past the monster.

Still dazed, Taro bellowed as the knotted pantyhose zipped over his back with punishing friction burns as Akane's weight pulled it across him and down.

The stretching rope slowed Akane's descent, her feet hitting the rocky beach below hard but she kept on her feet, looking up at Taro with a dark grin.

Ecchi-baka Taro glared back, missing the danger as the pantyhose rope, its length now down to Akane had given Ranma a lot of tension.

"Pantyhose Meteor Kick!" Ranma declared as he jump kicked into Taro's side.

Bellowing enraged again, Taro was thankful for the blow hitting his side this time where the original time he had fallen for this it had been to the head. Still conscious, he lashed out with a heavy fist, hitting Ranma in the back to send him rocketing to the ground, bull lips crying out again as the rope burned across Taro's back just above his desperately beating wings.

Seeing Ranma falling, Akane realized it was her turn, reacting quickly and holding the rope to let the tension build.

Taro caught sight of the tensing end that Akane held below him release, shoving his fist out to catch her before taking another kick from her. What his hand caught was something other than Akane bound in the end of the pantyhose. The sparking wick disappeared inside the large firecracker of Happosai's Happo-daikirin technique.

-Bang!-

* * *

Finishing binding Taro's bruised human form in a length of pantyhose rope, Ranma looked up at Akane who had fashioned a modest bikini out of some of the length and the remnants of Taro's own burst clothes, passing Ranma some to cover up similarly.

Taro caught her staring at Ranma dressing. "You're not going to go off at him for being a pervert boy?" He growled disgusted.  
Akane blushed at being caught but then her eyes widened. "Is this what this was about? You wanted me to see Ranma as a pervert so you did all of this?"

Taro looked away but his lack of social graces let Akane know she had guessed right. From his own pockets she pulled out the bottle of little blue pills. "That's what these are, to make him like that? You somehow slipped them to Ranma to make him like that to make me think he was some kind of pervert?"

"And instead I find you're gagging for the transvestite... oof!"

Pulling back his foot from cutting of Taro's snapped reply, Ranma stepped back to let Akane handle the rest of this.

"Why Taro? Why all this when you could just have offered Grandfather these to change your name instead of bothering us?" Akane asked holding out the pile of perverted prints and the butterfly brocade, its rainbow colors shimmering as beautiful as ever. "I assume that's why you got them?"

Taro refused to answer. Ranma looked disgusted, "Is it because you still want Akane?"

"Like hell I do!" Taro growled.

Akane looked at Ranma, seeing the jealousy of Taro's interest. "Doesn't matter, even if he did grow a heart, he would have wanted to changed his name before bothering us. So what is the real reason, Ecchi-baka?"

Flinching at Akane saying his name, Taro looked away. "The old bastard refused, okay? He wanted all those plus he wanted you and fem-boy broken up."

This time Akane put the boot into Taro. "You tried to ruin my engagement!" she hissed.

Gulping for breath from the blow to the stomach, Taro glared up at her. "I should have figured from that breast print of you, that you were more of a pervert than when we broke up."

Akane growled but Ranma was faster, "The what?"

Dismissing Ranma's question with a wave of her hand, Akane glared at Taro, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "You're an idiot. If you had asked, we could have helped you change your name. Just like if you had asked the first time rather than steal my bra."

"He doesn't learn," Ranma said angrily, still glancing at the sheaf of perverted prints Akane held. "First time we fought here I offered after to help him change his name."

"And all I got was nearly killed by the old bastard."

"Cause you're an impatient ass!"

"Ranma, stop arguing and untie him," Akane said finally, glaring down at Taro. "Ecchi-baka Taro, go back to China. If you go right now, I won't make grandfather call you something even worse."

"What could be worse?" Taro demanded angrily.

"Ecchi-baka Ichiro?" Ranma supplied unhelpfully.

A grin tugged at Akane's lips but she suppressed it. She looked at her ex for a long moment before making a decision.

"Taro, if you come back in one year from now, we'll help you. Come back with an offering for grandfather and come to us, we'll help you change his mind. Ever come back before then and don't tell us first..." Akane looked him directly in the eye. "There won't isn't a present you can bring that Ranma and I can't do better than to make him pick any name we want for you."

Growling, Taro struggled against his bindings, still waiting for Ranma to cut him free. When it was obvious Ranma was waiting before helping, Taro nodded, "I'll go."

* * *

Finally set free, Taro stood, shaking out his arms. Looking to the water then at Akane and Ranma, the Chinese young man smirked, "I guess yesterday was our kiss goodbye?"

"What?" Ranma demanded angrily turning on Akane.

Leaving them in a fight, Taro kicked into the water to splash himself, and turn monster before taking off to the air with a sick laughter.

"What the hell, Akane?"

Said girl looked back at her fiancé, "Calm down idiot. He kissed me!"

"When? And why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Yesterday when I talked to him before school, he picked a fight then got me when my guard was down. It didn't mean anything."

"It did to him," Ranma accused.

Flushing, Akane's mouth was open in shock of Ranma's attitude. "Who cares about him? It meant nothing to me other than I got tricked in a fight."

"Says the girl who also 'forgot' to tell me she's got a date with some other guy and loses her clothes when kidnapped!"

"Says the girl in love with you, idiot!"

"What!" Ranma yelled, wincing at his loud voice as the mood changed.

"I didn't want to admit to you that that jerk tricked me and pushed his lips on me," Akane began pushing a finger into Ranma's bare chest. "And the date with Ryoga is because before we were engaged I surrendered to him in a Love Dome challenge to protect him from all those girls at school. He didn't even know about the date rule when he challenged me. And I missed the date, because I had totally forgotten it and was in a tent with you in the mountains!"

Ranma blushed, recalling that night.

"Ranma, I'm not going on the date with Ryoga. I have a friend coming for him, because I want to go to the Christmas dance with you, and a double date gets that challenge date out of the way."

"You could have said."

"I was more worried about what Aunty will say," Akane admitted. "Not that you asked me out to the dance yet?"

Ignoring her quip, Ranma looked at her seriously. "Anyone else?"

Akane glared at him, then her eyes turned softer, sultrier, her voice slowing and turning sweeter. "There is one guy, he's a complete idiot, but he makes me feel like no one else does. When he's around I don't even see other boys."

Ranma smirked sheepishly, "What else?"

Rolling her eyes Akane stepped closer to her fiancé "He makes me jealous of other girls around him, makes me do things I never thought I would, and it drives me mad not being allowed to kiss him."

"How mad?"

Her tone got breathier. "It drives me mad how he does this 'Cradle of hell' technique that's supposed to drive people away, but every time he uses it, I just makes me want to jump on him. And it drives me mad that he makes me use a technique on him I never wanted to use again."

Looking into his eyes, Akane funneled her ki into her voice. "Ra-n-ma?"

"Y-Yeah?" Ranma stuttered as his legs shook.

"Oh Ra-n-ma, please, Ra-n-ma, kiss me?"

At the breathy command Ranma leaned in pursing his lips, pressing them against Akane's fingers which had appeared in front of her lips.

"Ranma," Akane stated in her normal voice, "If you want me to let you keep your promise to your other fiancées, you better believe me next time about other boys. Otherwise I will show you how much you mean to me."

"Got it," Ranma said uncomfortably, shifting his stance, unable to look away from her.

* * *

Climbing the still smoking hillside, Ranma looked back at Akane. "What about them?" he asked, pointing to the set of papers with bright colors on them.

"Ug," Akane said, red faced. "One of Grandfather's old friends, Lukkosai, somehow made himself appear to be a child and wanted to be a student, but it was a trick to get in the house find get this."

Holding up the butterfly brocade, Akane let the sunlight shine across the beautiful colors. "It's just really pretty ink but Lukkosai was a real pervert..."

"Unlike Happosai?" Ranma asked sarcastically.

Ignoring Ranma's quip, Akane continued climbing. "When Grandfather exposed Lukkosai as a perverted old man, before he could trick me into taking a bath with him. He used his ink techniques to try and trap me and get the brocade back from Happosai. Happosai simply joined him and they tried to attack Miss Hinako as an adult with it to make a breast print."

"What is a breast print?"

Looking up to see if Ranma was teasing her but saw he was serious. "It's this perverted thing where they put the ink on a woman's breasts and press paper to make a print. It's just perverted."

"So why did they have one of you?"

Akane blushed, shaking her head. "I thought it was destroyed after Lukkosai left. I offered to make it in exchange for them to let me destroy the brocade."

Ranma stopped to look back at her, "You did that for a pair of lecherous old men?"

"No, I lied and used a feminine Tanuki statue," she explained referring to the lucky Raccoon-Dog statues common near temples and many restaurants. "I used the breasts on a big one to make a fake print and put my name on it."

Ranma nodded apparently satisfied, "So why didn't you destroy the brocade?"

Blushing deeper, Akane considered lying but huffed a breath and confessed, "Because the stupid statue had bigger breasts than me and those two old perverts could tell."

Ranma honestly tried not to laugh.

* * *

Cresting the top Akane saw Kodachi tending to the unconscious Mikado and Ryoga near the old temple building.

The dark haired gymnast looked up, concerned at not seeing Ranma with the returning hostage.

"Where is Ranma-kun?"

"He tripped back to the bottom," Akane replied lightly.

* * *

To be continued.

Next up, a double chapter, a Christmas Dance.

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Jamieson, Hpackrat, Muishiki, and from the past Cupid's Bride, Angela Jewel, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Thanks again for reading, please review all you read. The vocal minority gets what it wants, aren't you a minority? You would be if you took a minute to review.

Trent O'Donoghue.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter is all his work.

Last Updated: 04/01/10

* * *

Nabiki looked away from the mirror on Akane's closet door to her baby sister as she trudged into her bedroom. The older girl smirked at the pantyhose and ruined clothes fashioned into a modest covering Akane currently wore. "Taro really is in town, huh?"

Too tired to be annoyed that her sister was borrowing her black dress and makeup without asking, Akane sighed and slumped on her bed. She did frown recalling she'd only worn that dress on the one date, and even that was a fake date chaperoning Kasumi and Tofu. Shaking her head she tried to keep up her end of the conversation, "Not anymore. He came, he caused problems, he got beat down, and we threatened him to leave. If he has a brain, he'll be back in one year."

"So back in a couple months."

Akane smirked ruefully. "Apparently I like stupid boys."

Shaking her head, Nabiki held back from the easy quip. "It's no fun if I don't get to make the digs, Sis. And you seem to like the current idiot, are you missing the old one?"

Sticking out her tongue, Akane shook her head. "I've already had that arguement, I'm not doing it again. Ranma already had a fit because he thought Taro still has feelings for me and got all jealous. Taro was history before I met Ranma, and he is less than Kuno now. After making that clear to him, I then had to sit and stew as Kodachi gave us a ride home, the whole time ogling Ranma, who was wearing less than this."

"Kodachi and Taro?"

"Taro stole flowers from her greenhouse. She said she wanted revenge but I think she wanted to help Ranma just cause it would annoy me."

Nabiki nodded putting on some lip gloss.

"So what about you, big sister? Big date with your own idiot? I didn't see you getting challenged in Love Dome."

Smirking Nabiki made eye contact briefly, "Actually I had to look farther out than Nerima to find one able to walk and grunt at the same time."

"He must be something to make you spend any time."

Nabiki paused, "Lets just say he has something I like."

"You know you'll owe me all the details of this guy? It's only fair with what you made me tell you about Ranma."

Smirking, Nabiki turned to Akane. "Deal, I'll tell you everything, once I see how this plays out and I know where it's going. 'Course that means if you and Ranma do anything more, I get to know first."

* * *

Walking down the street towards the Tendo residence, Hinako Ninomiya shivered against the chill, her legs a bit bare for the winter evening, but the sheer white stockings did look best on her. Especially with the white fur trim of the festive hooded red jacket she wore, just too short to cover her legs to the top of her stockings, leaving an inch of bare thigh to the cold.

Moving down the street, the sound of her heeled shoes was joined by the distinctive clacking of wooden geta from a shadowed figure across the way turning the same direction as her from a side street. Not that a single dark figure on a dark cold night worried the experienced martial artist and school disciplinarian.

It wasn't till both figures on opposite sides of the road entered pools of light from parallel street lamps that Hinako Ninomiya's eyes met Shika Miyakoji's.

The taping and clacking of their respective shoes stalled for a heart beat, before continuing at the exact same pace to the edge of the pools of street light.

Although both could see each other's shadowed figures, the sudden increase in pace of click and clack tore down to the next street light, both sedately continuing their original pace in the light.

Again out of the light, the clicking and clacking raced down the street, by chance the light on Hinako's side of the street was out, letting her grain a measurable lead.

Struggling to keep pace in the awkward wooden traditional sandals, Shika's hands flicked out, wooden tea spoons darting into the lights ahead of her, breaking each to clear the way to keep her running pace in the dark as Hinako slowed in the next pool of light.

Hinako frowned and as she left the shaft of light, hopping to quickly take off her pumps, holding them below the bowel with her fighting fish as she just rushed through the next light, ignoring the exposed breaking of decorum, eyes ahead to the Tendo gate at the end of the street.

Tearing ahead with her long stride, Hinako's smile fell as the clacking of Shika's geta vanished, the shadowed figure on the other side of the road now half her height but racing along in the sitting stance of Martial Arts Tea Ceremony.

Before the sign of the Tendo Dojo, hanging proudly over the gate to the Tendo home, beside directions for challengers to go to the rear gate, both women arrived still rushing to be first through the gate, both impacting it hard when it failed to push open.

Inside the Tendo yard, Nodoka Saotome suppressed her smug smile as she lowered her leg from kick-bracing the gate against the unannounced guests, straightening her kimono before opening the wooden doorway.

"Good evening, ladies."

Looking up from the ground, the disheveled pair were forced to wither before the house guest's judging eyes, looking at the ruined hose on Hinako's feet, or the dirty and mucked cloth slippers on Shika's feet, or the splash of lost water lost from Hinako's sturdy fishbowl on them both.

Both would have preferred to glare and face her down, but the dark haired Saotome matriarch had proven she had the skill to resist them physically, and far more sway over Soun than either liked.

Tearing her eyes from the less than half filled fishbowl with the tussling fish in it, Nodoka looked to the women. "I can assume that once you have cleaned up you will show more civility inside?"

Feeling like scolded children, the two women swallowed and agreed.

* * *

Nabiki frowned looking at the table in the fancy city restaurant. A plastic clip holding a small marker embossed with a floral 'Reserved' label in the center of the unoccupied table.

Being ten minutes fashionably late herself was no excuse for Jiro Ohata to be even longer and make her wait.

Letting the waiter pull out her chair, Nabiki sat down gracefully at her place at the table, ordering a drink till her date arrived, flashing a questionable ID for proof of age.

She was on a second champagne and a bread stick, before a dead and wilted rose was put on her plate and Jiro Ohata cockily took his seat opposite her. He ignored his date to wave to the waiter for sake.

Nabiki's eyes swept over his formal but meticulously disheveled outfit, from the casually open dinner jacket, tie on but loose, collar behind it unbuttoned. Looking up at his handsome face, she held his eyes and waited for him to speak, expecting either a fake apology for his tardiness or an accusation.

Jiro smirked when his date didn't even blink at his attitude or gift. "It's great to see you, Miss Tendo."

This time her eyes turned down as a smile creased her glossed lips, "Oh is that what this sulk is about."

His amusement falling away, Jiro didn't flinch. "Sulk? Never. Just treating you like the fool you thought to make of me."

"Oh yes, it was all me that led you to fail to stop Ranma after ambushing him where I told you to. Remind me, which of us used the world's greatest swordsman and a fighter known to give Saotome a run for his money in the past, and blew it by losing control?"

"Don't try to play innocent, Tendo," Jiro snapped back, embarrassed at having that humiliation thrown in his face.

Nabiki weighed her words a moment too long and the glaring young man continued. "Like I can trust any word you say as you protect your baby sister and her precious fiancé. Oh but I suppose its my fault for not paying you to put out the truth," he snipped, purposefully letting slip his knowledge of the engagement.

Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Lets ignore the half baked research you've done into me and go back to our first meeting. 'Hi, I'm Nabiki Tendo, Akane's sister.' Would that have made you trust me more?"

A twitch of his lips told Nabiki she had made a hit before he spoke.

"No, but it would have gotten you a better compliment about your looks."

Nabiki smiled indulgently, "So what would have earned your trust better than a lie of omission over a detail that would only hold us back."

"The trouble with lies is the truth can so easily be found out," Jiro said taking a sip of his drink as Nabiki did the same. "You could have told me your agenda. That still eludes me."

Reaching out her hand, she lifted the menu from the table, "Right now, it is to sate my hunger with... challenging company."

* * *

Soun Tendo had never been comfortable as the center of attention. It was always his dear departed wife who had drawn attention and he knew she had been too good for him during the short time they had together. Now that he was entering his distinguished years, it seemed that he was drawing the attention and he had none of the grace or congeniality of his late wife to handle the two women currently discussing how he would spend his Christmas eve.

Not that he understood how the western concepts he had gleaned from television, about a fat man in a red coat breaking into children's homes, were in any way romantic.

Looking at the glaring women on either side of the befuddled Soun, Nodoka set down her cup of tea. "Perhaps as this event of Miss Hinako's school is not a date but a chaperoning duty, Soun could accompany you both," Nodoka suggested, tired of the issue already.

The two women appraised each other, the school teacher reluctantly first to move. "I was hoping to get a few more chaperons to oversee the event. The Principal has been reluctant to discus the issue in depth, and his involvement has driven many of the staff to find alternative duties on the night."

Kasumi looked up nervously, "My, would it be alright for me to invite a friend to help with the duties?"

Smirking, Akane could see her big sister's desire to show off her catching the good Doctor Tofu around Nerima. As Hinako welcomed the addition to the staff of the evening, Akane spoke up, "Um, with the fiancée issue as it is, Ranma and I are going as part of a double date, chaperoning a couple friends on a blind date on the night"

Taking Nodoka's twitching lips as a good sign, Akane tried to slip the bad news in. "Um, because of a mess of situations, I'm setting up a friend of mine, Akari Unryuu with a friend of Ranma's, Ryoga Hibiki."

"I'm not sure that's for the best," Nodoka said evenly, hiding her unhappiness.

Akane looked down before proceeding to explain. "While I heard the stories of Ryoga's accidents and bad choices with you, and then with Ukyo, and then Sakura, I also know Ranma doesn't think he did it to be a pervert, and feels he had had some tough breaks in life."

"He came to my school, lost at a bad time, and to save him from being..." Akane stopped to figure the right words to describe the danger Ryoga faced in Love Dome from the girls at school, "mauled, I had to say I was going to date him. But now I'm with Ranma, so I got him to agree to this double date with Akari."

Ranma frowned recalling Ryoga's looking at Akane on the ride back with Kodachi and Mikado from the water temple, it was a similar look to how the lost boy would look at Ukyo, and with a sinking feeling he wondered whether Ryoga believed this Akari chick was coming as his date rather than Akane.

Ranma's mother on the other hand glanced to Hinako and Shika, unwilling to show more displeasure in front of them. "And this Akari can handle his curse? It might not be best if she finds out mid date he turns into a piglet."

Kasumi smiled, "Oh Akari would adore that, she's a pig farmer isn't she Akane?"

A snorted suppressed laugh from Ranma made Akane glare at her fiancé, the mirth obvious in his voice, "Really? A pig farmer?"

"She breeds and raises champion Sumo Pigs, big ones. And yes, she does adore pigs so I don't think the curse will be a problem, but we can show her before the date."

Slightly embarrassed by her son in front of the visiting women, Nodoka let the matter rest, moving onto the other issue she had with the coming Christmas. "I was hoping that we might spend the night having a western style Christmas dinner, and exchange some gifts. I missed out on my son's life for so long I wanted to spoil him before I lose him again to his future wife. I suppose we could hold an early Christmas dinner before the dance."

Kasumi smiled, "If I may, I could bake a Christmas Cake and we could exchange gifts with it and tea after the dance?"

General nodding from those around didn't include the nervous Soun, each of his arms held by a different woman, nor Akane wondering what kind of gift she could possibly get Ranma. The Tendo daughter's mood plummeting as her fiancé glanced at her and smirked confidently.

* * *

"A western firm? Very bold," Jiro said over his Kobe Beef dish, referring to Nabiki's application for an internship at a law firm while studying at University.

"Long term there is more opportunities to international branches, avoiding Tokyo's glass ceiling," Nabiki said, looking away from his eyes as she raised another oyster shell to her red lips and sensuously tilted her tilted her head back to pour it into her mouth.

Jiro nodded, chewing on more of the lightly seared meat. Finally swallowing he sipped from the red wine in his glass. "I've got a similar position lined up at..."

"Daiginkou Corporation, yes?"

Jiro froze for only an instant, "Heh, you really are putting me to shame, you've done a much better job looking into me than I have on you."

Sipping white wine, Nabiki smiled, savoring the taste of the meal and drink, as well as the praise. "Not really a lot of effort. Can't spend too much time with exams coming."

Nodding, Jiro used his chopsticks to pick up another piece of meat but looked to Nabiki before taking it in. "So what did I miss, who is the real Nabiki Tendo?"

"Isn't it the point of life to discover who we are? Could you tell me who Jiro Ohata is in simple words?"

Swallowing the morsel, Jiro kept his brown eyes on Nabiki's, drawn to the whites around her iris against her dark eyeshadow. "Then tell me who is the Nabiki Tendo helping her sister and who is the Nabiki Tendo helping me against Ranma Saotome?"

The brown haired young woman looked at her date, dabbing her napkin on her lips, "There's only one me involved. My sister has had more guys than just Ranma fall for her and he isn't her first crush. She's young and pretty, and really she can do better if she tried."

"That's it? You expect me to believe that you simply don't like Ranma?"

Nabiki frowned, sipping again at the wine. "What was it like to kiss Ranma?"

Glaring distastefully at his date, Jiro Ohata put down his chopsticks, "I was tricked by that freak. It might be magical but he is still a sex changing freak."

Grinning like a shark, Nabiki leaned in, "There. Exactly, I have nothing against him personally, but how others see him..."

Frowning, Jiro took a moment, then nodded, "The wrong words in the wrong ears and that glass ceiling you fear comes down low. You want to break through it, not have it smashed over your head because of him."

Reaching again for her drink, Nabiki sipped as Jiro leaned back looking at her. Finally he spoke, "I don't believe you."

Keeping from showing the flicker of emotion at his direct statement, Nabiki waited and let him continue.

"You would have driven him off well before now if that were the truth."

Shaking her head, Nabiki put down her glass, a hundred calculations going through her head, evaluating the risks and rewards.

"Be careful Jiro, your ignorance is showing. Being raised an only child has blinded you to the truth of working against family without hurting them. It isn't like I can tell my sister to dump the freak who made love to her before they were engaged, after all."

With that she threw the last of her wine in his face and stormed for the door.

* * *

Jiro Ohata twirled the dead rose in his hand, mulling over the enigma of Nabiki Tendo, and how she was playing him to do her dirty work. That she was wanting him to do what he already most wanted to do, surprised him only in so much as how well she knew he'd want to follow blindly. Still, there was something in the back of his mind crying danger.

Then again, that could just be spending time with a woman almost as smart as himself, he mulled as he walked alone down a dark and cold street.

The tidbit she'd ended on was too good not to use, but not really so risky to herself. Sure it was likely only the family knew if Saotome and Nabiki's sister had been indiscreet, but it would be too easy for the Tendo sister to simply deny telling him such and say he made it up. The rumor of them eloping to dump the other fiancées had already been started at Bokuto High.

-Ring ring-

Smirking, Jiro looked around to see the voluptuous figure on a bicycle approaching, purple hair flickering as she rode under streetlights.

"The Tendo Dojo!" Jiro called before turning from the Amazon girl to resume walking, knowing she would never just ride away without asking what he meant.

With a screech of brakes the bicycle cut in front of him, the obviously tired foreign girl glaring at him, far from the first time given his history with Saotome. "What mean yelling out? Why Coward bother Shampoo."

Bristling at the accusation in the name Shampoo had been calling him since he swore off the martial arts to deny Saotome from challenging him. Focusing on the cute sweater the Amazon wore against the cold to lift his mood, Jiro forced a shrug, "I just thought you'd like to know where your Ex-husband is staying."

"Ranma not ex-husband, is husband. Will be father Shampoo children!"

"Oh really? I'm sorry I must have been confused," Jiro replied with halfheartedly faked sincerity. "I just assumed that since Ranma's is living with his new fiancée Akane Tendo... Urk."

The clatter of Shampoo's abandoned bicycle was too late to be a warning as the Amazon's hand around his neck and raised Jiro into the air, "You lie. Akane Tendo engaged to one man, Ranma engage to new rival Shampoo no meet and kill yet. Not engage each other, they tell Shampoo."

Waiting for her to stop shaking him and realize he couldn't reply without oxygen, Jiro gasped for air the moment she dropped him, "Hey I'm just the messenger."

Reaching into his pocket he pulled forth a small note pad and scribbled down the address. "Here, that's the address for the Tendo Dojo where Ranma is staying, go ask your fiancé who his latest girl is? Go look him in the eye and ask him did they get engaged just because he slept with her?"

Shampoo chilled at the accusation, then snatched the piece of paper away. "Shampoo warn Coward, if lying, you pay."

Dropping him from her hand, she grabbed up her bike with its empty delivery box and got back on peddling for home. It was too late to go search a new area of the city for this Tendo Dojo tonight, but come sunrise...

Jiro smirked, straightened his collar, raked his fingers through his brown hair, and headed for home, eyes unfocused as he went back to considering Nabiki Tendo.

* * *

It was early morning Sunday and two teenagers sparred in the Tendo dojo, blows traded back and forth with occasional breaks to refine a move attempted in fighting.

Ranma was sweating slightly but smirked at his disheveled fiancée, who was starting to go quieter and more guarded in her attacks as she ran out of steam.

Twisting around another strike Akane felt her time ebbing, if she was going to try and put him down hard it would have to be soon.

Flipping backwards gymnastically to avoid a spinning kick and create distance, Akane could feel Ranma's intent to press her into the wall and trap her from further retreat, and she had to keep the smile from her face as she led him to the rack holding the kendo weapons.

Snatching up a bamboo shinai and a wooden boken, Akane lashed back at her opponent, Ranma ducking back from the sudden increase in her reach with the weapons.

"Aw, you want to play rough do you?"

Akane smiled and rolled her wrists to twirl the twin practice weapons. "I got a new trick to show you, you ready?"

"I like new tricks, you better not be teasing me with some old move."

"Kendo Kujaku Umou Tosshin!"

Ranma blinking in surprise as the blurring weapons in Akane's hands moved fast enough to appear as a fan of weapons around her like the 'Kendo Peacock Plumage Charge' her attack was named for, the weapons stabbing out with nearly the speed of an Amagurikan punch despite their weight and length.

Pushing herself to keep it up, Akane ignored the ethics of her plan, wanting the win, and this was Anything Goes. She knew it was a cheat, she stole the move from the queen of cheating Kodachi Kuno herself, but instead of dozens of gymnastics clubs she used nearly two score of boken and shinai, her hands moving so fast as to be nearly invisible to keep control of the stabbing fan of attack.

Darting back against the charging opponent's weapons Ranma, could see himself losing ground and in desperation opened his arms to create room. "Cradle of Hell!"

Pouring his emotions into his ki, love for his mother welling up, the image in his mind changed unconsciously to Akane herself, the love changing too from parent to lover, his mind betraying him recalling her feelings on this move the day before, when they talked after fighting Taro.

With a mighty clatter Akane lost control of her weapons sending them scattering around the dojo, darting forward to latch onto her fiancé wishing he was a blanket she could wrap around her but settling for trying to en wrap him instead.

Ranma stood still in shock as just as Akane had said, instead of fleeing before the attack that would unnerve and drive back the boys he had previously used it on, his fiancée was wrapped around him in a glomp that made Shampoo's enthusiasm seem like a handshake.

Akane's face, pressed into Ranma's neck, didn't stop her eyes from seeing the angry feminine long haired silhouette in the doorway of the dojo.

* * *

Hikaru Gosunkugi walked nervously down the street in Nerima on a mission he knew could every easily blow up in his face.

He glanced down at the photo in his hand of Akane Tendo and that Chinese jerk Ecchi-baka Taro kissing from Friday morning. He had taken the photos of their battle at the offer of money from the diminutive ninja of the Kuno family Sasuke, but failed to hand them all in, keeping the captured moment where the pervert had pushed his lips on Akane.

Glancing at the photo of them kissing, Gosunkugi sighed still yearning for such intimacy with his first crush, but over the last year knowing they weren't right for each other.

His smile fell as he considered his current 'girlfriend', St Hebereke freshman Kaori Kumayama.

He liked her, and he really liked having a girl interested in him. But having a girl two years his junior humiliate him in the love dome ring for dates and drag him to meet her parents referring to him as 'the one' was scary. Seeing the look in her parents eyes agreeing with her was outright terrifying.

Looking down at the photo of Akane and Taro kissing, he again mulled over how best to use it.

By the rules of love dome, Kaori was challenging him but no one was willing to champion him against the aggressive teenager. Most found it funny since it was a guy being pursued such. Even Nabiki apologetically said she couldn't convince the male champions to defend him against a girl, but he knew Kaori had been paying Akane's older sister off. He couldn't even get date insurance, Nabiki Tendo willing to take a small sum from the girls against guys they feared might be overly pushy on the date, in return the senior and love dome founder would give a word of warning and promise retribution for ungentlemanly behavior.

He had originally intended to ask Akane to champion him, willing to hand over the photo and negative for not showing Ranma her new fiancé. Now though Ranma's sister Ranko might be a better person to offer the photo to champion him. He wouldn't want Akane thinking he was a blackmailer after all.

Walking along with his mind on his plans, Gosunkugi was caught off when a hand grabbed his arm, turning him to face a Chinese beauty with vibrant purple hair.

"Where Tendo Dojo?" Shampoo demanded, holding a slip of paper with an address hand written on it.

Before Gosunkugi could answer Shampoo's eyes looked down on the photo of Akane and Taro kissing. Snatching it from his hand, Shampoo glared at him, "When take photo?"

"Ah, F-F-Friday," Gosunkugi stuttered terrified.

Turning around Shampoo left the boy behind as she headed back home, making a single vow. "Coward no trick Shampoo. Coward pay. Pervert girl really engaged to monster boy. No beat Shampoo to husband."

Sighing in relief as the dangerous beauty strode away, Gosunkugi lamented her taking his photo away with her.

"Gos-chan? Who was that?"

The unnervingly deep voice of Gosunkugi's girlfriend Kaori behind him was accompanied by the unnervingly loud sound of her cracking her knuckles...

* * *

Nodoka lead the two fathers into the angry scene in the dojo. The Saotome matriarch had spotted Kasumi's shock at something inside the training hall, but the sound of Akane yelling drew all three parents.

"It wasn't like that Kasumi, it was just sparring!"

Reaching the door, Nodoka surveyed Kasumi calmly berating the pair in the middle of the training hall littered with fallen practice swords. "What kind of sparring have you been teaching my sister, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi quietly demanded, punctuating her words with finger pokes to Ranma's forehead.

"Kasumi, stop that!" Akane shouted, unable to control her volume like her sister.

"Children, what is going on?"

The three young adults in the dojo looked up at the entering parents, Ranma and Akane nervous that Kasumi might let the cat out of the bag on their infidelity of three weeks before, but the eldest Tendo daughter saw more of a chance for allies against the corruption of her baby sister.

"Daddy dear, do you know of a valid martial arts technique which you defeat your enemy by wrapping your legs and arms around a boy without pining his limbs?"

"Kasumi," Nodoka said to try to reign in the moment and calm the older daughter.

The elder Saotome woman had been not completely surprised at the traditional and innocent young woman's views on intimacy before marriage, what was surprising was the normally demure Kasumi was obviously upset and showing it. Worse even than the incident over Nabiki's massage two nights before, the normally demure young woman was visibly upset to those who knew what to look for, such as the slight quiver in her calm face and voice, and assertive confronting of Ranma.

Seeking the words to calm her down, Nodoka looked to her side as Soun stepped forward. "Daughter, I'm sure that their sparring just got a little out of hand. Sparring is very physical and a couple in love like them can show a little discrete affection while alone."

Kasumi glared at her father, "Remember father, Ranma has other fiancées, he has promised to be virtuous to till this mess is resolved, a promise of honor."

"I promise, it was sparring, it was just that move. The Cradle of Hell," Ranma stated in as calming a voice as he could muster, still caught off by Akane's reaction to the move.

"The Cradle of Hell?" Nodoka asked. "Isn't that one of your father's move?"

Nodding, Ranma tried to explain. "When Pop made that grapple it was awful, because he gave strength to his grapple by using his emotion to hold me like a child again."

Genma nodded proudly. "A powerful technique, well used on your fiancée, boy," he put in with a wink.

"Problem was it gives itself away, you can feel that weird hug desire and so I tried to stay away from Pop when he tries to get me in it. And it's pretty useless if you try to use it on just anyone if you don't feel for them. But I figured if I imagined who I was using it on was Mom, the technique worked right up to the actual hugging since I could never hurt Mom."

Taking a breath, Ranma continued. "The thing is I didn't see the value in the hug, just pushing the emotion out ahead of you, it weirds other guys out to feel it like that. It, ah, doesn't weird out Akane though, cause we like each other and so she jumps into it not away. That's all this was, I promise."

When Kasumi failed to look convinced, Ranma opened his arms to her, thinking of Akane in this changed technique as he cried its revised name, "Cradle of Heaven!"

-Slap-

"You pervert!"

Kasumi cried, apparently neither pulled or repelled by his attack, flushing red from sudden emotional attack and looking at her hand shocked that it had reacted such.

Soun watched confused as his eldest daughter stormed out of the dojo, obviously upset, but at least no longer fighting with the equally upset Akane as his youngest looked at the palm print on her fiancées face while berating him for using the move on her sister.

Through all this, Genma Saotome looked thoughtfully at his son before turning to his wife, visualizing the magical dogi he knew she wore under the elegant kimono.

"Saotome Cradle of Heaven!"

Pushing forward with all the love he had for his wife. Nodoka spun into his charging arms, her own hands reaching for him, her lips pursing to kiss her husband's, then, without her control, the magic dogi under her kimono lashed up a kick to beat the fat man back.

Nodoka frowned, her hand on her beating heart as she reconciled her reaction and the suit's, ignoring the startled looks of the other three in the dojo.

Picking himself off the floor, Genma Saotome laughed evilly, the light glinting off his glasses. "So, my wife still does love me."

Akane sighed, Soun looking to the dojo shrine where the photo of his late wife was held still, as Ranma winced knowing what was coming.

"Of course I still care about you, my idiot husband, that has never changed," Nodoka stated, caught off guard by the warmth and affection that had radiated from her husband when he had attacked her.

"It changes everything, my beloved No-chan. Time to get you out of that accursed suit."

Blushing, Nodoka stood tall, "No husband, not at this time."

Pulling off his jacket and gi top, Genma Saotome cracked his knuckles, "I challenge you wife. I'm going to destroy that suit this time."

Akane looked perplexed as Ranma herded herself and her father from the dojo, slamming the doors shut behind them.

"Pop ain't gonna take no and Mom ain't gonna not accept. They're gonna fight and somebody's gonna end up humiliated, and this time it ain't gonna be me."

* * *

Frowning, Nabiki looked around the lunch table, regretting spending her morning studying as events were obviously transpiring and they were more interesting than her calculus revision.

It took no mental effort to work out Kasumi must have caught their baby sister and Ranma in a compromising situation, Kasumi neglecting to fill Akane's plate, as was normal at the table. Her judgmental eyes for the young couple didn't help masquerade her feelings any either.

What was more piquing the middle Tendo daughter's interest was the bound hands of Mr. Saotome, as he watched everyone else eat while he waited unable to lift his chopsticks if he did.

Genma was tempted to bend over and put mouth to plate but who knows where his wife might stick those chopsticks.

"Akane-chan?" Nodoka asked, seeing her future daughter-in-law nearly finished eating.

"Yes Aunty?"

"Could I impose on you dear? Your technique from the La Bell France school you used on my son, would you be a dear and use it to help Ranma's father eat?"

Genma frowned, having no idea as to what Nodoka meant, but started salivating as Akane picked up his own chopsticks with her free hand. One point two seconds later, Genma's plate was empty and he was trying to stop choking on food shoved down his throat. With a little coughing he managed to swallow it down the right way.

Using the distraction, Nabiki leaned across to the dark haired young man beside Akane and around the corner of the table from her. "What's with his hands?"

Pink cheeked, Ranma leaned to the brown haired girl, "Pop challenged Mom. He beat the suit last time with a move that needs his hands so the suit knew what his plan would be. He'll be okay."

Knowing there was more to his story than he was telling, Nabiki went back to eating, planning to get it later.

Seeing her husband finished his lunch, Nodoka glanced to Akane again with a smile. "Thank you, Akane-chan, but there was no need to go so slowly."

Akane smirked as her future father-in-law's eyes bugged out.

"If I may, Akane-chan, could I get you and Nabiki-chan to do the dishes? I'd like to take Kasumi out with me."

The three sisters looked up surprised but quickly nodded agreement.

Ranma was the next to speak up, "Um, I gotta head out for a time too, shouldn't take long."

The way he glanced towards his fiancée told the women at least it was about Akane, or something for her.

* * *

"So what are you getting him for Christmas?"

Nabiki's question brought an awkward smile to Akane's lips as the pair washed up after lunch. At Nodoka's announcement of wanting to have a western Christmas with some presents rather than just a chicken dinner and cake, Akane had been troubled.

"No idea."

Nabiki smirked, "I know you saw that look on his face. He already knows what he's getting you."

Akane nodded, she had caught it too before he had gone out. Now he was off who knows where getting who knows what for her for Christmas, something he appeared to have not agonized over deciding was the perfect gift.

"Then again," Nabiki added, "He might just be getting you lingerie."

Eyes flashing, Akane glared at her sister's implication. "His father may be an idiot, but he wouldn't be like that."

"So if he is getting you something appropriate and romantic," Nabiki started with a grin, rubbing the ring finger of her hand, "What are you getting him?"

When her sister shrugged again, scrubbing at the plates in soapy water. "Kasumi might throw a fit if you do lingerie. Or Aunty might if you get some for his girl side."

Rolling her eyes, Akane sighed, thinking about Kasumi's recent behavior. Her older sister's disapproval was getting old fast.

"So what do you think I should get him?"

Nabiki smirked, her mind bypassing helpful, going straight to teasing. "If you don't want to spend much, we could do up some photos. Something to remind him what happened?"

Akane's hands were quicker than Nabiki recalled as soapy water was splashed into her hair and down her back, making her screech.

* * *

Sitting in a quiet tea house, Nodoka Saotome looked across at the eldest daughter of her husband's best friend. Sipping at the steaming beverage between them, she briefly considered how to begin this talk.

"I'd like to talk about your feelings of what Ranma and Akane have done."

Kasumi put down her cup, frowning. "Aunty, I had reservations after I found my sister naked with your son after not even a day together."

Nodding but keeping her face blank, Nodoka recalled the incident. "An unfortunate accident with confusion over the curse, but even if my son was confident and suave enough to have arranged things to such, what they did months later was still because of his feelings for her."

"Feelings?" asked, obviously dissatisfied. "Perhaps if we had told them when they are started to have 'feelings' they wouldn't have ignored their good sense and followed their urges? What if Akane had gotten pregnant? What if she is pregnant?"

"Had Akane gotten pregnant she would have started showing some signs of it by now," Nodoka said calmly, looking around the empty tables around them to remind Kasumi they were in public. "Had she gotten pregnant we would have a justified reason to dissolve the engagement problems, be preparing for a new years wedding, then helping them find happiness in life. As that is not the case, we will keep to our current plans for the engagement issues, preparing for a march wedding, and then helping them find happiness in life."

Kasumi nodded and sipped her tea, the simple words not soothing the complex emotions inside herself.

"Perhaps Kasumi-chan, this is less about what Akane did with Ranma and what you feel for Tofu-kun?"

Swallowing a reaction response, she weighted her words. "While I fully intend to wait for marriage, I have felt the same attraction my sister didn't resist."

The older woman looked directly into Kasumi's eyes, "May I ask dear, how much have you been resisting yourself, and how much you have been resisting the good doctor?"

Swallowing and red faced, Kasumi shook her head, "Tofu is, I'm not sure how interested he is in me like that."

Frowning, Nodoka shook her head. "I know you had difficulty breaking through to his more mature nature, but has been working himself up in knots over you for years. Men can be so silly. But wasn't it you who initiated the first kiss on your second date?"

Kasumi flushed, "I didn't start that kiss, I simply showed him I was waiting. It would not be appropriate to do the same here."

"Not appropriate, no," Nodoka agreed. "Though I don't think that would give you the peace of mind you want in knowing what is in his heart."

"I couldn't possibly ask him of such things," Kasumi stated startled.

Sipping her tea to let Kasumi calm herself again, Nodoka considered her next words. "I'm not suggesting you do dear, but perhaps being shown some of your trust in him will let him know he can be more bold, and then you could get your answer about his interest, and let you decide how far things could progress till your own wedding?"

Sipping at her own drink, considering the words of the older woman, Kasumi tried to calm her nerves. "How would I go about such?"

Nodoka smiled.

* * *

Akane sighed and flopped backwards on her bed.

Though Aunty had decided about this western Christmas with the exchange of gifts, she had no idea what to get Ranma. A teddy bear wouldn't impress him, actually any purchased gift didn't really feel appropriate for her self reliant fiancé.

Worse than the almost zero time she had to think of a gift, it was after lunch on the twenty third, the Emperor's Birthday, and the national holiday falling on a Sunday was moved to the Monday. She had only today to buy any gift for Ranma with the shops closed tomorrow.

With a huff she considered making something, maybe knitting a scarf or the like. She could almost hear his voice mocking her for mistakes she hadn't even made yet in trying to sew him something. Sighing, she wished she had better domestic skills like her sister, or even Yuka who could make those...

Sitting up suddenly, Akane dove for her desk drawer, taking out what she was looking for.

* * *

"Thank you sir, and have a happy Christmas."

Ranma thanked the sales girl and bowed in reply, putting away his lightened wallet and taking the present, wrapped in colorful red paper with a yellow bow and in a plastic bag with the shops logo, from the counter.

Moving out of the store, Ranma walked amongst the shopping crowd in Ginza, lots of desperate people looking to get last minute purchases before the stores shut before tomorrow's public holiday.

Trying to recall the way back to the train station, his blue eyes drifted to a group of casual workers waiting in between buildings, some smoking and others chatting and joking against the cold, waiting till close of business, ready to pull down the Christmas decorations and move in the New Years decorations.

Stuck behind a slow moving elderly group, a flash of color on a television monitor drew Ranma's attention and with an inquisitive grin, he entered another store.

Looking at the figure moving on the screen for a long moment, Ranma still noticed the pretty sales clerk come along side him.

"Do you like Michael Jackson, sir?"

Ranma grinned, "Ah, do you have some more of this kind of dancing?"

* * *

Walking out the back of the clinic, Sena Ono looked for her older brother wondering where he was hiding now. When Kasumi had called inviting him to a Christmas dance he hadn't told her, just getting all giddy as for the first official time Kasumi asked him out.

Having just hung up the phone after chatting with Nodoka Saotome, Sena now knew why he had been giddy. And what she had to say would only make that worse. Nodoka-san had a deft hand at matchmaking.

The blond woman heard the rattling ahead and rolled her eyes, looking in the back room to see her brother dancing his anatomical skeleton around the room to no music. Fortunately her brother could hold a beat.

"So a Christmas dance? I heard you begged out of the Christmas dinner too."

Freezing in place, Tofu Ono looked up startled, "I-I-I I just thought..."

"You just chickened out," Sena said directly. "Just talk to Soun, he wants you for Kasumi almost as much as you do. He doesn't care about your age. You're going to have to meet him at the dance, he is going too."

Seeing him coming up with an argument, Sena shook her head to cut him off. "Be that as it may, it turns out we have the best present for you. I've just heard that because of a silly little bet, Ranma-kun owes Kasumi-chan a full massage, but was thinking he'd prefer you do it instead."

The rattle of 'Betty Bones' in Tofu's arms came before his shaking was now much more obvious.

"Kasumi would prefer you do it too."

The rattling got much louder.

"Brother," Sena huffed, "You do realize that if you held Kasumi as close as Betty there, she would be squeezed against you because there is more to her than just a rib cage?"

With a clunk, the rattling Betty's leg fell off.

* * *

Ranma looked at the mailbox to the old two story apartment building. Seeing the family name of 'Oboko', Ranma read the unit number.

Taking the he simple wooden stairs to the second story, he knocked on the door to the simple Nerima residence. He held a nervous smile as it opened, relieved to spot his classmate.

Opening the door, Hiroshi Oboko was surprised to see his new friend Ranma standing there.

"Hey, ah, I need a favor? Can you play these?"

Hiroshi looked interestedly at the cases Ranma held up, frowning seeing they were music videos. He immediately guessed this was part of this strange dancing issue his new friend had started last week with 'Dance Dance Revolution'.

"You want to watch and learn to dance more? Why?"

"Ah, Akane is kind of expecting to dance at this thing tomorrow night."

"So? Why not just do a basic dance," Hiroshi asked, holding up his arms to imply a slow dance.

Ranma shook his head, "If I'm gonna make a fool outta myself, I'm gonna do it right. And trust me, even if I mess it up, Akane will be impressed I tried."

Shrugging and nodding, Hiroshi went to open the door. "Any chance I do this for you, you can set me up with your sister for the dance?"

Wincing, Ranma licked his lips and rubbed the back of his head, "Ah, there ain't no easy way to explain my sister, but she ain't gonna be at the dance even if I could set you up."

Hiroshi kept his hand on the door, not ready to accept that. "Come on, you can at least introduce me to her so I'm not just another guy hitting on her."

A sudden thumping on the stairs drew both young men's attention, a jubilant Daisuke running up. "Oh hey Ranma. Hey guys, guess which stud got a date for tomorrows dance?"

"If this is that chick your old man is trying to set you up with?" Hiroshi asked, "His boss's daughter?"

Daisuke's face fell. "It sounds lame when you put it like that."

* * *

"Thread dammit!"

Nabiki smirked hearing her sister complaining in her room as some activity failed to go as easily as she planned, wondering if she was sewing this time, when a knock at the door made the brown haired girl turn and change direction back down the stairs.

Opening the front door, Nabiki smiled seeing a delivery man holding up a cardboard box.

"Delivery for Nabiki Tendo?"

"Nabiki Tendo for the delivery," Nabiki said flirtatiously, eagerly signing for the prize before claiming the box with both hands.

Saying goodbye and closing the door, Nabiki headed immediately up the stairs, rushing to her room with the surprise gift.

Examining it and finding the return address to be the same Tendo Dojo address as the to delivery, her eyes noted the stamp showing the delivery was placed at a city post office. With a shake failing to let her hear any clues to the contents, she sat on her desk chair and placing it in her lap.

Grabbing her letter opener and clipping through the tape, she found puffy packing material inside, her hands sifting through eagerly, pulling out a smaller cardboard box.

With a frown, she lifted the second box enough to sift one handed through the packing material for a second prize, before discarding it to the floor and grabbing up her letter opener for the second time. She briefly vowed that if this gift was simply a series of boxes in boxes with a frustrating empty inner core she'd get revenge on whoever sent it, part of her wondering who she could send such a gift to for a laugh.

Opening the inner box, she smiled at the cloth wrapped contents, lifting it out and turning to place it on her desk to unwrap.

Finally the last of the cloth folded out to reveal an ornamental box, little bigger than a heavy fiction novel. Classical Japanese style sunbursts and dragons and phoenix were imprinted on the top and sides, a quick check confirming similar underneath.

Her tongue wet her lips as Nabiki tested and wasn't surprised when the lid wouldn't open, finding the traditional style Japanese puzzle box was locked.

Deft fingers found the hidden shifting panels and switches on the ends and side of the box, before she set them back in the starting position and readying a pad and pen.

"He is so transparent," she muttered to herself before picking up the box and counting the options and writing her observations.

* * *

Inside Hiroshi's small bedroom, his parents out for the day, Ranma tried to explain why Ranko would never date his new friend.

"Look, I'll tell you everything later, but trust me, when I do, you wouldn't want to date Ranko."

Hiroshi frowned, "It isn't like I want to marry her, just date her."

Sighing, Ranma shook his head. "Why don't you try and get an available girl for this dance rather than a girl I promise you, you would not like that way?"

"It's too late," Hiroshi lamented, "Love Dome isn't open today or tomorrow because the public holiday."

"So?" Ranma asked, "Just find a girl and ask her out!"

Daisuke nodded, "Not like Love Dome has gotten us more than one date yet."

Shaking his head, Ranma put his hands on the table, "How many girls actually surrender and go on dates?"

"Well most of the girls loved the gimmick at first, being in charge, able to pick to surrender to guys they liked or make guys they didn't hate show they really wanted them by fighting a champion," Hiroshi said. "But now those girls who really like it have started using it to lock their boyfriends into being on recorded dates so they can't see others, or to make their ex's jealous."

"That's how I got Yuka to surrender to me," Daisuke added. "I thought it was a good date but now she is off with the captain of the Sumo team."

Ranma frowned, "Maybe that's the problem, do you think she wanted to surrender to you? A girl's gotta have a little pride."

The two classmates nodded at Ranma's words, before Hiroshi shrugged, "So what, we challenge girls then surrender? That won't get us dates."

Scratching the back of his head, Ranma thought it over, "Akane liked hearing how I felt about her, most girls seem to like to be toldstuff like that. Couldn't you just tell a girl you like her and then ask her out?"

Hiroshi looked horrified.

"Tell you what, if you couldn't do that to a girl you like, no way would Ranko respect you." Ranma let Hiroshi stew for a bit on that. "Is there a girl you actually like?"

Shrugging his shoulder, Hiroshi didn't answer.

"Mi-chi-ko," Daisuke in a slow sing-song lilt.

"Who's Michiko?" Ranma asked even as Hiroshi tried to shut his best friend up.

"She lives next door. Hiroshi's had a crush on her for years. She'd be a senior but she quit school nearly two years ago."

Embarrassed, Hiroshi gave up trying to shut Daisuke up, "She is a year older than us and runs with a different crowd."

Daisuke got up and moved for the blind, Hiroshi trying to stop his friend making things more embarrassing but Ranma stood and stopped him from reaching Daisuke before he got to the window.

"He's been watching her for years, her bedroom is right across the way," Daisuke said opening the blinds.

In the next building, only meters away, a girl in her underwear was changing clothes. She looked back at the three boy with a scowl, her face all the angrier with ear rings, nose stud, and eyebrow piercings. She quickly closed the blinds but far too late before the boys had seen the artistic tattoos circled around her upper arms, or the bellybutton ring in her taunt stomach. Well aside from Daisuke who was still focused on her black underwear.

* * *

Ryoga Hibiki looked at the departing black limousine taking his hosts and trainers on their Christmas trip, half thankful to have a break from their eccentricities, and half nervous as he was left on his own to wait for tomorrow.

Tomorrow Sasuke would lead him to the Tendo Dojo and he would commence to show the beautiful Akane Tendo he was the man for him, where as Ranma was a philandering child.

Looking at the picture of her in the black and green tiger print bikini, not doing justice to what he saw just the day before in blue and white stripped underwear... Pulling a tiger print bandanna from his head he wiped at the blood on his nose thinking of more wholesome aspects of the beautiful, smart and understanding young woman.

"Tomorrow Ranma, tomorrow we see who is the real man," he stated, striding off.

Sasuke ran to the front gate and grabbed the bandanna wearing martial artist and pulling him back towards the mansion.

"Thanks a freaking lot man, now she'll think I'm a pervert!"

Ranma held up his hand as Hiroshi yelled at Daisuke, "You can yell now, or go and get her before you have lost her."

"What?" Hiroshi asked.

"Trust me, anger is a funny emotion in a chick. Sakura hated my guts the first time we met, then next time she was all over me. Right now this Michiko is gonna be mad with you, but you go apologize now, tell her the truth and it was an accident, you can turn this into a good thing."

Hiroshi simply looked back at Ranma.

Ranma shrugged, "It's what I would do, and which one of us has five girls wanting ta marry him?"

* * *

Michiko Chikubiwa swore as her doorbell rang. Storming to the door in a black shirt and sweat pants, she yanked it open, jaw opening in surprise at the pervert from next door standing sheepishly there.

"Um."

"What do you want?" Michiko snapped.

"To apologize, that was an accident. I'm really sorry."

"Oh yeah, you and two of your friends all looking at my window when I was getting changed."

Wincing at the anger, Hiroshi went with Ranma's instruction. "I.. we were talking about the dance tomorrow night and how I don't have a date and Dai brought you up then he opened the window to point at your house. That's all I swear."

Michiko frowned, brushing her brown hair with faded red stripes from her eyes. "You wanted to ask me to a school dance?"

Hiroshi blinked, wondering if Ranma was some relationship god. "Ah, I, um, always kind of liked you."

Smiling, her braces on her teeth gleaming similar to the piercings on her ears, and eyebrows, Michiko leaned against the door. "Did you ever spy on my window before today?"

Swallowing, Hiroshi's shoulders fell. "Kinda. I'm sorry."

"If you eat garlic between now and when you pick me up, the date is off."

Michiko shut the door.

* * *

"Ack! Get off me, I'm a guy!" Ranma complained as Hiroshi hugged him.

"She said yes, she said yes," Hiroshi stated, still hugging him.

Daisuke knelt down before Ranma. "Master, please take me as a student in your dating ways."

Ranma shook off one boy and glared at the other, "I'm only here to learn to dance to impress my own date, I ain't a master yet."

Like eager students, Hiroshi and Daisuke moved the table from before the television cabinet, Hiroshi cleaning away other items while Daisuke put the disk in the DVD player. "Ready to learn, Master."

* * *

Smirking, Nabiki lifted the slip of paper and small soft toy out of the opened puzzle box.

Looking at the clock, she had been at it for all of an hour and five minutes since she had received the box. Well one hour of trying to figure out the intricate latching steps of the box and five minutes of actually opening the box.

Clearing the broken pieces and small wood saw from her desk, she examined the contents, a small mouse toy and a piece of paper with a poem. Discarding the first as simply symbolic, she unfolded the simple piece of paper, and scanning over the simple poem.

'Roses are red,  
Violets blue,  
Christmas is coming,  
and Love is too.

Truly,  
Your Secret Admirer.'

Tapping her teeth with her tongue, Nabiki considered the choice of words before concluding the author must be really lousy with poetry.

* * *

In the middle of a cold Sunday night the bright lights of a school gymnasium shone down on a man in a brighter floral shirt, only slightly less bright than his gleeful big toothed smile.

Among all the other decorations for tomorrows dance, a mock up of a western image of Santa's sleigh in a snowy setting sat before a camera tripod, and behind it the entrance to one of the corridors and been dressed up with curtains and had more appropriate romantic lighting hung, signposted as 'Santa's Cave', the exit back into the gym the next set of doors down. A Japanese take on the popular 'Lover's cave' for the romantic seasonal holiday.

Pushing a trolley with two manikins on it, one made up as a young man, the other as a young woman, the man in the Hawaiian shirt put a wig on each of the couple before aiming the trolley into darkened cave and giving it a push.

Waiting for the 'couple' to disappear in the darkness, the well tanned Japanese man held up a remote and hit the red button, crying "Ho ho ho, Brudda," as the sound of buzzing strikes came from the tunnel.

Turning off the devices with the remote, the man in the Hawaiian shirt leaned down and picked up a rope to pull the trolley back out of the darkness, the manikins now sporting identical much shorter buzz cuts.

"Brudda and his loving wahini should have dem matchin hair cuts! Ho ho ho, ma good students!"

* * *

"If Nabiki is as smart as she gives herself credit for she'll work out the real invitation is written in lemon juice," Jiro explained with a self indulgent smirk. "Simple heat will bring it to the surface behind that purposefully aweful poem I wrote, and tell her when to be ready for our date. That is the type of trap we have to arrange to get Kounji."

Jiro Ohata nodded at the table in the small home of his junior 'friend' Toko, eyes looking across from the unhappy looking Ryoga Hibiki. No matter how he helped the foolish twin, he didn't get any thanks from the thug of a martial artist. Admittedly, so far his help had gotten repeated rejections by his love interest and beaten up by an oblivious swordsman.

"Trap?" Ryoga growled, twisting one of his spotted bandannas in his hands.

Still smirking, Jiro took a sip of his drink. "Women are complex, but some traits are nearly universal. Make them work for something, make them react, and they'll want the last word. If we make Kounji work to something about you, she won't just dismiss you, she won't be able to just let it go. That is the trap."

Ryoga had no clue what Jiro meant. "So how do you suggest we do that?"

"Well as my plans have been rejected, I was hoping the guy who loves her would know how to approach her. That he had some understanding of her likes and wants to bait our trap." Jiro let Ryoga growl some more to make his point before looking steadily at his erstwhile ally. "I do have an alternate plan, but it will not make her happy on your date, you'll have to be very careful in asking her out and from the moment we use it till after your date, you can't bring up Saotome in any way."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I'm going to have a friend drop around and let slip about her fiancé and who he is living with right now," Jiro said smiling darkly. "And after that she may be looking at Ranma's rival and someone Ranma's mother hates in a new light."

* * *

Akane had to sneak past the Shinto temple gates, running to get around the block unseen by the annoying priest before he could come out praising her. Even on a Monday morning she was nervous of the embarrassing attention. With her frustrating efforts of last night, she really didn't need any more problems.

Turning the corner, and rushing down the street, Akane headed for the door of her friends house. Approaching the front of Yuka's house, she could hear a shouting match inside.

"How is that my fault, he is an idiot!"

She was surprised to hear the voice of her other classmate Sayuri inside, "How hard did you try to get through to him?"

Knocking on the door, Akane heard her friends voices quiet, Yuka opening the door, surprised to see her there.

"Hey guy's, I could hear you two from my place, what's going on?"

Two red faced girls looked down before Yuka shrugged, "Last weekend I surrendered to Daisuke for a date because I heard that slime ball Kai..."

"The ex," Sayuri mouthed silently behind Yuka to clarify to Akane.

"... had challenged some St Hebereke skank even before we broke up, and I was not going to let him hook up again before I did. Sayuri apparently liked Daisuke so I did all I could to give the idiot a clue, even getting stuck with Akio from the Sumo team for the dance tonight so Dai would be able to challenge Sayuri. Now it's all my fault that Daisuke wasted time challenging that St Hebereke girl who was running around our school in her underwear and didn't challenge Sayuri, but we found out he found some other girl to take to the dance."

"He couldn't have been that clueless if you were trying to let him know," Sayuri accused.

Akane flashed back through the four men she had actually liked since puberty, then looked to Sayuri, "Um, yes, yes they can be that stupid."

Yuka resisted the urge to hug Akane, glad her words stopped her angry friend. "You could always come along and we can try to block her out and give you a shot at him?"

Frowning, Sayuri looked between Akane and Yuka. "I don't know."

"I thought you liked him?" Yuka asked rhetorically, knowing that decided it. Moving on, she looked to Akane. "So why did you drop around, Akane?"

Huffing, Akane pulled out the black and red mess she had created.

"How the hell do you make those stupid bracelets."

Yuka smiled and turned to go and get the tools and clips she used, "Let me get my kit."

"There's a kit?"

* * *

Ranma scratched his head, looking at the near empty table. "Where is everyone?"

Turning from Kasumi, Nodoka sighed and gestured for him to begin breakfast.

"Tendo-kun and your father went to get his hands checked and the bandages removed. Akane-chan said she needed to leave early to see a friend, and I am not sure where Nabiki-chan went. Something about borrowing a friends new sneakers."

Ranma shrugged at the explanation and dug into the food. "Do you need any help preparing for today?"

"You could wait for our fathers to get back, Ranma-kun," Kasumi suggested. "But when they are, we have a little plastic tree and some decorations in the attic. We could put it up here in the corner and it won't impede anyone."

Ranma looked at the frown on his mothers face, then recalled something from the day before. "Yeah okay, that corner?" he added, pointing in the corner.

Kasumi looked away from Ranma and nodded, surprised when she looked back that his breakfast had vanished.

"I'm gonna check something out, and when Pop gets back we'll get this tree up."

* * *

Ukyo slid another roast chicken okonomiyaki into the microwavable boxes, putting it on the pile even as Konatsu in his waitress kimono picked them up and took them out to the tables out the front of the restaurant.

Konatsu and Junko's plan for getting in on the advertising for chicken dinners for the western celebration and selling fresh chicken okonomiyaki with Christmas cakes for peoples dinners, was working surprisingly well. She had been nervous that bad sales would mean she'd make no profit on the cakes selling them cheap tomorrow. She had never been big on desserts, and Christmas cakes had become so known for surplus on sale cheap on the twenty fifth and after, many women still single at twenty five or over were called 'Christmas cakes' as a joke at their diminishing prospects as brides.

The ringing of the door bell made Ukyo look up from cooking the next batch, seeing a girl from Ranma's school come in. She briefly wondered why she had a bad feeling about this girl. "Welcome to Ucchans. What can I get you?"

"Hi Ukyo, you're looking cheerful considering. Dumping that cursed womanizer is obviously good for you."

"Excuse me?" Ukyo demanded, caught by the forwardness of this stranger.

The brunette in the cute sweater faked shock, putting her hand over her chest. "You haven't heard? He hasn't even had the guts to tell you yet?"

Bringing more boxes and cooking supplies to Ukyo, Junko moved gracefully to put them down then stepped up to her boss. "Oh hi Gin. Ukyo, meet Gin, she goes to Ranma's school. Last week I heard she was at a love hotel with Jiro O'Hata."

Gin gave herself away with a strong blush, "That is a lie," the older girl hissed, glaring.

The sixteen year old Junko glared back. "I doubt it, but even if it is, you keep lying here to upset Ukyo-kun, I know 'Natsu-chan uses your Mom's beauty salon and would be more than happy to let the lie slip."

Gin seemed about to refute Junko's claim but instead simply glared again and walked out of the restaurant.

"Thanks Junko-chan, I so don't need distractions today. Especially from a liar like Jiro and his idiot friends. Ranma isn't even here and he can't leave us alone."

Junko nodded, "I better go help 'Natsu-chan. You okay in here?"

"Sure am sugar."

Smiling, Junko moved for the front door as well to help with the sales, slipping silently through the door kept closed against the winter chill. Konatsu had given her some ninja tips on avoiding ringing the bell so that it would only ring for customers.

A moment later the ringing of the bell on the door made Ukyo look up, faking another happy smile on her face for her customer till she recognized the young man. "Get out."

Ryoga Hibiki winced at the simple instruction like he had been slapped, but part of him was overjoyed as it was a vast improvement to the last time he accidentally walked in while lost and she threatened to get his pig formed fixed by a vet on her first breath.

"Ah, please, just hear me out," he said, keeping his eyes down and trying to be humble. "I just came to apologize. I'm sorry for bothering you, and for abusing your trust like I did. I didn't ever mean to..."

"One Christmas cake," Ukyo shouted out the front door, cutting off Ryoga not even looking at him.

Junko came back in, glaring for the boy in the spotted bandanna, a cake box in her hand.

"Give it to the customer, please Junko-chan," Ukyo said, nodding at Ryoga as the customer but her focus on starting another batch of okonomiyaki on the long hot plate.

Ryoga looked confused as the box.

"Ryoga, if you know me at all, you'll know what I want you to do with that cake."

"Um, shove it in my face?" he asked with a wince.

Ukyo glared at him, "First you pay for it, then you take it outside so you don't mess up my place, then you stick your face in it, and go away not cleaning yourself till you get to wherever."

"Uh, will that make you forgive me?" Ryoga asked hopefully.

Ukyo glared at him, and the unlucky Ryoga Hibiki knew for absolute certain the answer, a definite 'maybe'.

Handing over some coins, Ryoga moved away from the shop and the glaring of Junko and Konatsu, disappointed that Ukyo wasn't watching but knowing they would tell her.

"I'm sorry Ukyo Kounji!" he shouted and shoved his face in the cake.

Walking away, ignoring the looks of people in the street, Toko's voice stopped him.

"Geez, what was that about."

Ryoga smiled hopefully, "A step in the right direction."

"Ah that makes sense... with your sense of direction."

* * *

Leaping the fence into the empty shopping malls even emptier service area, Ranma spotted the discarded pile of decorations from the previous sale decorations that the staff would have pulled down the night before.

Grabbing the cleanest tree of the right size, he pulled it up onto his shoulder and leapt back over the fence.

Hopefully his mother would be so used to not asking Genma where things came from she wouldn't ask him.

* * *

Akane hugged Yuka tight, looking at the matching bracelets she had helped her make. "Oh you're the best."

"You're welcome, Akane-chan. I hope he likes them. If you need to resize it, I'll do it at the dance."

Akane squirmed, "I'm not sure but I think we're doing presents with cake after the dance."

Rolling her eyes, Yuka shook her head, "Then I'll do it at school. Christmas day isn't a public holiday like overseas."

Flushing and nodding, Akane looked to change the subject. Sayuri stepped in.

"Um, with tonight, if I am going alone, do I just show up at the school? I mean you both have dates to escort you."

Grumbling, Akane shrugged, "I wish. If you want to, come to the dojo around six, I have to walk with Ranma, Ryoga, and Akari, as well as Daddy and Miss Hinako and Mrs Miyakoji, Ranma's parents, and Kasumi and Doctor Tofu. They're all coming as chaperons, so it's hardly intimate."

Sayuri nodded eagerly to be included, Yuka brightening, "Um, could I meet Akio there too? It's between here and his house, and if the night goes wrong I can dump him at your gate and run rather than at my door expecting a kiss."

Akane nodded and Yuka smiled, "I'll have to go tell him. I needed exercise today anyway."

"I have to get back home and help prepare for tonight too, two families and guests for dinner is a lot of work."

Yuka and Sayuri wondered if when meeting this crowd at the dojo tonight, they would all be complaining of stomach aches.

Frowning in the winter chill of the calm day, Akane looked at Yuka on her left. "So why are you even dating Akio if you don't like him?"

"He's not bad looking, and I needed someone so Daisuke didn't expect to be dating me for tonight and I wanted it to be better than Kai. The Sumo team has been doing better than the Football team Kai is on this year."

"How long did you date Kai?" Sayuri asked more for Akane's benefit.

"Three weeks."

"And you've been broken up...?"

"Three weeks. But that's not the point."

Akane and Sayuri smirked as the trio reached the end of Yuka's street when they heard an all too familiar gong and cried words of the annoying priest of the shine.

"Hail, the groom of the demon slayer!"

Akane stumbled, part of her groaning, part of her elated that Ranma was near.

"Come bless this man and give him the wisdom to see he celebrates the wrong holy days for his oh so deserving bride."

Frowning and looking at each other, the three girls moved up the to corner, three heads poking around.

Ranma was lugging a large semi decorated Christmas tree taller than himself down the road on his back. He was now red faced trying to shoo off the priest.

Leaning to Akane's ear, Yuka whispered for her to go around the back, before grabbing Sayrui and both girls going to Ranma's aid.

"Ranma, you're late," Yuka said, cutting off the priest's next loud exposition.

"You have to get that tree home now," Sayuri added.

Seeing the two pretty girls Ranma's age coming to aid the young man in carrying the tree, the priest stood his ground, watching them move on. "Groom of the Demon Slayer, guard yourself against thoughts of infidelity, your bride deserves better."

Ranma loved to turn around and refute any such thing but Yuka pushed him to keep on forward. "Akane's up ahead," she whispered.

Turning the next corner, Ranma wasn't surprised to see Akane standing their red faced.

"Uh, nice tree," Akane said awkwardly, then glancing to the girls. "Thanks for the help."

Yuka smirked, "So you two have a promise of no kissing or such till you dump the other girls right?"

Akane frowned at the forward question, Ranma standing the tree on its base to lean against him as he nodded. "Ah yeah. If I had my choice I'd be just engaged to Akane."

"I just thought of a way to pay us back," Yuka suggested, pointing to a decoration hanging over Ranma from near the top of the tree.

Sayuri looks at the small plant hanging there. "Mistletoe! Oh, me too!"

Ranma looked confused at Akane while his fiancée moved to stop this. "Oh no, no way. He is my fiancé and if I can't kiss him no one can."

Seeing Ranma's confusion Akane snapped out an explanation, "In the west, not in Japan, you are meant to kiss a person under the mistletoe."

"Ah come on Akane, it's just one kiss, not like I'm getting any better tonight," Sayuri said plaintively.

"Same with me, you do owe us," Yuka added, rubbing her wrist meaningfully at Akane.

"Hey, don't I get a say?" Ranma stated. "I promised Akane no intimacy with any girls after we found out she was my fiancée."

"It's just a mistletoe kiss, not intimate," Yuka pointed out.

Sayuri's eyes narrowed. "Why did you have to add all girls to the no intimacy promise after Akane became a fiancée?"

"Fine," Akane quickly agreed to cut off that line of questioning. "One kiss, a quick one."

The girls blushed, Ranma looking unsure at Akane even as she pointed at Yuka. "Is this a test? I ain't doing this dumb custom if it is a test."

"Don't enjoy it," Akane said and turned her back.

Squeezing her fist closed, knuckles whitening, Akane heard the smack of lips parting, Yuka sighing outrageously. "I see why you like him Akane-chan."

Ranma's cried in self defense. "I didn't do nothing, that's just a flat kiss from me," inadvertently making the twitch in Akane's eye more prominent.

"My turn," Sayuri said in a sing song voice making Akane tremble with great annoyance for her 'friends' and fiancé.

With a similarly over done sigh, Sayuri leaned back looking at Ranma's face as the shy young man looked embarrassed. Her eyes widened, "I know you!"

"Excuse me?" Akane demanded swinging around, even Yuka looking surprised at Sayuri's words. Ranma just looked shocked.

Blushing, Sayuri shook her head. "No, not like that!" she cried.

"Then how?" Akane demanded, looking at Ranma who shrugged confused.

"Remember the hot spring?" Sayrui began. "Before Grandfather Happosai started leaving us alone and training you, we were at that women only hot spring? And that pervert appeared in the water with Grandfather near you and you booted him out? That was Ranma, I'm sure of it."

Three girls turned wary eyes on Ranma, who was looking confused and ready to deny it.

"That guy had a pigtail," Akane said in a slow accusing voice, Ranma wincing but still not recalling any such event as barging into a womens hot spring.

Akane's eyes narrowed and tried to recall the craziest event of the day.

"And before that we chased off that polar bear."

The three girls could see Ranma's eyes click with recollection.

"I can explain. I swear it wasn't being a pervert. I was trying to stop the old letch from getting his ultimate technique scroll that was hidden in the spring."

The three girls looked unimpressed.

"I swear, my Pop was so scared of that dumb technique that after he failed with the bear thing to scare you off I had to try. I promise I didn't peek at no one."

Akane frowned and Yuka could see her friend was already preparing to forgive him. "You still were there, and your sister soaked my books when she was doing whatever that destroyed our old school change room," referring to her recognizing the red head as the suspicious stranger around the women's change room at school the day the water main under it blew up.

Ranma frowned, the tried to smile cutely. "Um, I'm sorry?"

Akane nodded seeing his side of it, Sayuri agreed but Yuka shook her head. "You owe us. And tonight, we collect."

Akane and Sayuri frowned but when Yuka winked they found Ranma hanging his head in resignation more amusing.

* * *

Pushing the tree up, Ranma nodded impressed with the position of the large Christmas tree now dominating a corner of the main room of the Tendo home.

Looking to see Akane moving the low table back, cramping up floor space available for sitting but the gleam in her eyes seeing the tree he had gotten was worth it.

Akane moved beside him, the pair rearranging the decorations to more dominate the front and leave the inaccessible rear barren, but when Ranma stopped, Akane looked up and froze at the mistletoe hanging from his hand.

Eyes met quietly, both wanting to stretch the promise, recalling in detail Yuka's painfully tempting words, 'It's just a mistletoe kiss, not intimacy.'

Swallowing his dry mouth, Ranma watched for any clue from Akane who stood as torn as him, when the door to the hall slid open.

"Oh Ranma," Kasumi cried. "It's beautiful!"

Blushing, Ranma closed his hand on the mistletoe, moving for Kasumi then sliding past her. "Just needs one thing."

Frowning at his cryptic words, Akane looked to Kasumi who was clutching her hands in happiness. A moment later Ranma returned, taking a parcel wrapped in red paper and tied with a yellow ribbon and putting it under the tree. His eyes moving to Akane told her it was for her without needing to read the card.

She punched him in the shoulder, leaving him smirking as she ran up stairs. "No fair, my present for you isn't wrapped yet!"

Kasumi smiled at the byplay of the younger couple, taking it and the tree as a good omen for tonight.

* * *

To be continued.

Long overdue and hardly my best work. This whole year has been off. I haven't even been able to keep to my AGMA review challenge for 2 months. I put my foot down with a New years Resolution to work harder on my writing so here it is.

Chapter 18 continues through the Christmas night, not surprisingly.

For reference, I have heard stories from multiple sources how in the late eighties early nineties a strong advertising push by Kentucky Fried Chicken linked with Christmas had sold a lot of Japanese that the Fried Chicken dinner was the western staple for the season.

Sorry for any confusion about the Emperor's birthday. In mapping out events for ML I did a callender of events and miscalculated one day Christmas would be on, then doing research found the reference to the public holiday. I could have hand waved the math but I am glad I ran with it. It gave the excuse for Ranma borrowing a Christmas Tree.

Michiko is a younger version of the Martial Arts Body Artist of the same name in the story, 'The Ring' by Doc Emmit Brown. Worth a read for those of you over 18.

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Jamieson, Hpackrat, Muishiki, and from the past Cupid's Bride, Angela Jewel, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Thanks again for reading, please review all you read. The vocal minority gets what it wants, aren't you a minority? You would be if you took a minute to review.

Happy New Decade.

Trent O'Donoghue


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter is all his work.

Last Updated: 27/03/10

The sounds of Christmas music, playing on the family stereo, filtered up into Akane's room.

"Hold still will you," Akane muttered to Ranma as he squirmed in front of her. "How am I supposed to tie this thing on you if you won't hold still?"

Admonished, the reluctant Ranma stopped his resistance as she tightened the tie on his black suit.

"Why do I gotta wear this dumb thing anyway Akane? I only get dressed up for important stuff, not silly things like this," Ranma complained, which earned him a sharp smack to the back of his head from Akane.

"Idiot. This Christmas IS 'important stuff'. Your mother wants to spoil you, and I want a good date with you. Now hold STILL!" Akane said as she jerked Ranma closer by his tie and finished straightening it. "There, now stand up and turn around."

At least to Akane's eyes, the formal suit gave Ranma a striking air of sophistication that made her breathing shallow. Licking her lips, she grinned at his embarrassment.

With a final smile Akane nodded. "Good, now get out."

"Huh?"

Her libido still a little high as she ogled her fiancé, Akane gave an impish smirk as she gestured down at the long bathrobe she was wearing, "Ranma, if I'm not allowed to rip that suit off you, you don't get to see me getting ready."

"Oh right, sorry," he stammered, red faced as he moved for the door.

As he stepped into the hall, he turned to close the door, finding Akane's hand stopping it. Pinning him with a stare, Akane spoke slowly and clearly, "No fighting, no dirt, and no water. I am really looking forward to tonight Ranma, and if I come downstairs to find that suit ruined, or you as a girl, you will be in the hospital for Christmas!"

The door slammed shut, the little wooden duck on her door, printed with the English characters for 'Akane' rattling. "I ain't ever gonna understand her," Ranma grumbled to himself looking at the duck before turning and heading for the stairs.

"She's very excited about tonight, my son. She's not actually angry with you. At least not yet."

Ranma looked at his mother coming down the hall dressed in a light but somber kimono, carrying a small red case in one hand, as she came down the hall from the stairs. "It's just... I..."

"I can see you're excited too. Just remember your manners, be mindful of what you say, and everything will turn out fine."

"Yes, Mom."

She looked at him with obvious pride. "You look very handsome, Ranma. Be a dear and go down stairs. Make sure that your father doesn't ruin his suit either."

"Yes, Mom," Ranma said before he darted downstairs.

Continuing to Akane's door, Nodoka shifted the make-up case to the other hand, and gently knocked on the door. "Akane-chan, it's Aunty. May I come in?"

* * *

Licking her lips against the cool dry winter air, Akari Unryuu rode down the street on her prize champion sumo pig, Katsunishiki. To say she was nervous was an understatement, but after Shinnosuke, a boy she met last month, maybe it was best to get back into the ring. Still Shinnosuke had been strong, even defeating her sumo pig with a broom. She had really thought he was the one. If only he hadn't kept mistakenly calling her 'Akane'...

-Honk honk-

Glancing back, Akari waved apologetically to the flatbed truck behind Katsunishiki. At six feet high and six feet wide, the sumo pig didn't leave much room in the narrow streets of residential Japan for the truck.

Pushing in on her champion's sides with her heels and clicking her tongue to urge him to go faster, Akari sighed seeing there was no widening or turn offs coming up for several hundred meters ahead of narrow road with closed gates to private properties.

Ignoring the annoying horn honking of the rude driver, Akari looked around in shock when he started yelling abuse as if it would hurry her or make her trespass into someone's property just to let him pass. With a grimace, she suppressed the urge to let this ruin her day, or to turn Katsunishiki around and make her champion walk over the little man in his little truck.

A side street from the road finally gave enough room for her sumo pig to move aside, the truck brushing past in such a rush the driver scraped his mirror on the opposing wall, Akari grinning in vindication till she heard him shout an insult about her behind being as large as her pig's.

Shouting back a few choice country epithets, Akari pulled her right eyelid down to give a red eye to the departing vehicle and the hand still rudely signing at her out the window.

That was when Akari saw the small child rush out of a gate ahead of the truck.

Her blood ran cold and she cried out in vain, the screeching of tires on the truck showing he had seen the child but obviously too late, when a figure jumped from the sky near the child.

With an almost casual action, the stranger jabbed an old fashioned bamboo umbrella into the grill of the speeding truck. Standing his ground, the bandanna wearing man raised his arm, the vehicle going with it, spinning on the tip of the umbrella arching over man and child before slamming back down on its wheels, turned around to face the pair it had nearly run down.

The driver sat frozen and wide eyed with his white knuckles visible locked on the steering wheel as the vehicle rolled back slowly with its previous momentum.

"Wow," Akari breathed.

* * *

Sasuke berated himself for losing sight of the idiot friend of Mistress Kodachi's fiancé. Leaving Hibiki training alone in the yard was not his best move and now he had to find the lost boy so he could get the young man to this date with that Tendo girl. Failure would mean even more berating over an already bad weekend.

Going to the roof of a taller building, the diminutive ninja scanned the streets hoping to spot Hibiki, when he saw a truck rise, twisting through the air, before vanishing behind the roof line.

"Couldn't be," he muttered to himself before stealthily leaping in that direction.

Panic subsiding, he indeed saw Ryoga Hibiki in his tiger print bandanna and training outfit with a small child near the now stopped truck. Landing, he quickly made his presence known. "Hibiki-san, perhaps we should return to the mansion. You still need to prepare for your dance this evening. That is what Mikado-san invited you to stay with us to do, was it not?"

Reminded of his obligation to honor Mikado for his help, Ryoga left the child and truck behind to follow as the ninja manservant led the way over the houses and back towards the Kuno mansion.

* * *

Riding up on Katsunishiki, Akari watched in dismay as the heroic figure left with a much shorter man.

Moving up she saw the child, a little girl, holding a Barbie doll, and looking at where her savior had vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"Um, excuse me little girl, do you know who that was?" Akari asked cautiously.

"Mikado?" the little girl said unsure before skipping off through the gate back to her family home.

"Mikado," Akari whispered the name.

Nudging Katsunishiki on, Akari knew she had to talk to Akane. She had to know who this Mikado was. Maybe she could even get out of this blind date and they could find him.

* * *

Nabiki slowly hung more tinsel around the wall of the main room while humming 'Jingle Bells' in time to one of Kasumi's old tapes. Her father and Mr. Saotome were placing more festive banners and decorations around the walls. She ignored their near inane giggling as her mind flitted through her own issues and plans. She feigned interest in the preparations of her family for tonight, when all of them would attend a dance at her school.

Genma, dressed in his own dark suit, and Soun, still in his brown gi, giggled again as they reached over the door to hammer in the leg of a lacy lady's stocking, the foot of which hung over the doorway.

"Daddy, what's that about? It isn't very Christmas-y," Nabiki suggested, inventing a new word.

"It's a stocking-toe," Genma explained like she was a small child. "In the West at Christmas, they hang these and if two people are below it, they have to kiss."

"Right," Nabiki drawled before tilting her head. "So aren't you two under the stocking-toe? Don't you have to kiss?"

The two old best friends jumped away from each other like the other had cooties.

Smirking, Nabiki looked closer at the fine stocking they had stuck up. She idly wondered if the fat friend of her father had been stupid enough to steal one of hers and put a nail through it. "So where did you get the stocking?"

"The master won't miss one," Genma began when Ranma walked in through the doorway.

"Where is that old freak? I owe him for sending Taro to mess with Akane and me."

"The master said he was going into the city for a few days," Soun stated.

Nabiki's lips turned up mischievously. "Ranma-kun, they say in the West that if two people stand under the 'stocking-toe' they have to kiss," she purred and moved into his personal space directly below the stocking in the doorway.

"Huh? Stocking-toe? No, I already had to...It's mistletoe ya have ta kiss under," Ranma stated firmly, failing to keep from blushing as he raised one hand, then dropped it before pointing to the Christmas tree with the mistletoe hanging there.

Nabiki's eyes narrowed, enjoying his embarrassment, wondering what kind of kissing incident had occurred already, and reading his telling glance at the tree, that whatever this mistletoe stuff was must be on it. Ignoring the disappointed looking fathers, Nabiki chose to butter Ranma up for a fall.

"Merry Christmas Ranma," Nabiki stated as her eyes looked him over. "I must say I'm impressed. You clean up rather well. Akane must be pleased."

The mention of Akane liking how he looked brought a new flush to his face and his hand to the back of his head. "I... ah..."

"You're pretty nervous for your second fake chaperoning date."

"Hey, I...I ju-" Ranma stammered trying to explain.

Nabiki grinned as the heads of the fathers turned toward their conversation, and cut him off. "Maybe you're more nervous about Akane's Christmas present?"

"Boy, what did you get your fiancée for Christmas?"

"Yes Son. It must be a worthy gift for my baby girl!"

Looking up at the suddenly interested fathers, Ranma shook his head. "Nuh-uh, I ain't tell'n you nothin'."

Smirking, Nabiki left Ranma to face the fathers as she headed to put a new decoration near the tree, eyes already looking for the mistletoe.

"Come on Boy, what did you buy for Akane?"

As the pair of fathers approached, the dark haired youth backed in a circle around the room. "I told you I ain't tell'n".

Genma pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose letting the light shine off them. "Don't worry Soun, plan B." With that he darted in at the tree using astonishing speed to grab and examine each present for a name label. Soun, between him and his father cost Ranma the precious few moments necessary for Genma to finish looting and find Akane's gift.

"Hey Old Man, give that back!"

"Here Tendo," Genma said as he passed the shoe-box sized red present like a rugby ball towards Soun. Opening his arms wide, he stepped to put his body between his son and friend. "Careful Boy, what would your mother or Akane think if you ruined these suits?"

"Get out of the way, Old Man."

Typically, Genma abused his new invulnerability against his son, while Soun fought with the yellow ribbon on the box.

"Moko Takabisha Revised!" Ranma yelled. His ego swelled into a ball of energy between his cupped palms. A gentle toss lobbed the energy towards his father.

Genma should have guessed it was a distraction but the coward at heart still panicked at the advanced attack. The ball burst into a flare of light, blinding both fathers long enough for Ranma to slip through and grab the nearly opened package.

The thumping of stomping feet down the stairs and corridor brought two glaring women into the main room. The shorter was still in a bathrobe and aiming a drawn bow, the other in a somber kimono wielding a katana, both breathing heavy with righteous wrath in their eyes, the points of blade and arrow pointing at the fattest occupant of the room.

Ranma stood paralyzed holding the present looking at them nervously. Behind him, the two fathers were busily hanging decorations.

"I didn't... they... present," Ranma stammered.

The Saotome family katana slowly lowered, followed more slowly by Akane's bow. Akane's eyes were very nearly glued to the box sitting half out of its wrapping. Ranma jolted and hid it behind his back in a vain attempt to keep the surprise.

Akane smiled at him before running back down the corridor.

Nodoka turned to the fathers. "Soun, I think it may be about time to get into your suit. I believe Kasumi already laid it out in your room."

"What a good idea, I'll go now," the Tendo patriarch said before he fled down the hall, attempting the Tendo "look busy" technique. Nodoka's glare made it clear it worked as poorly on his best friend's wife as it did when he tried it on his wife...

Ignoring the crying from the hall, Nodoka looked over her husband, still attempting the "look busy" technique, putting up Christmas decorations. "Please Husband, this will be our first Christmas together in over a decade. Don't ruin it... again."

Taking his fallen head as agreement she turned smiled at her embarrassed son and returned upstairs.

* * *

Wearing a nice brown suit, Soun Tendo re-entered the family room of his home to see his best friend still working on the decorations. Before he could ask, he saw Ranma returning, a meticulously re-wrapped red parcel with a yellow ribbon in his hands. With one look at the Tendo patriarch, Ranma knew this little battle was far from over.

"Son, I only want to see that my baby is happy," the older man said by way of apology. "You understand?"

Genma stepped up to his old friend, the light gleaming off of his glasses. "Yes Boy, let us use our years of experience to make sure Akane has a good Christmas."

"Give it a rest. This present is fine."

"But Son, we just want to help the path of love between the two of you."

Ranma was ready to yank out his hair in frustration at the pair. "Then BUTT OUT!"

The two fathers stepped up into his face. "Look Boy, there's no need to be embarrassed about the present."

Ranma's frustration turned into confusion, "Huh?"

Before Ranma could wonder where this strange statement came from, Soun shut the trap.

"Don't worry Son, if it's not quite up there, we have just the thing." With lightning fast hands, Genma grabbed the parcel from Ranma's distracted hands, and Soun snatched the name tag off the parcel to put on the small wrapped package he produced with a flourish. The small square size could only be a ring box.

Ranma's eyes boggled at the forwardness of the idiot men. His hand blurred to snatch the parcel and tag back. "No dammit, I worked my ass off for that. Now leave it be."

He slipped the tag under the white ribbon of his present for Akane.

"Fine, be that way," Genma whined giving up as he backed away with his hands behind his back, still muttering words like ungrateful and petulant.

"Your father is right, Ranma. You should be more respectful of his desire to help," Soun said as he backed off to one side.

"You look, this present is just fine. Leave it alone."

Ranma walked back to the tree to return the present, when a flicker of yellow from behind his father got his attention. His hands rolled over the parcel in his hands, realizing Genma had switched them on him. The identical red paper was trimmed with a white ribbon instead of yellow, and had the name tag. 'To: Akane, From: Kasumi'.

Ranma gently tossed the present under the tree and turned on his father, his voice rising, "Pop, give me back the present now!"

Again the rapid stomping of feet came down the stairs and hallway, the doorway filled this time with Akane still in her robe, and Kasumi in an off the shoulder red dress. The eldest Tendo daughter looked anything but plain in light makeup with her hair done up intricately for her date. Her dress cinched to flatter her waist before opening in layered ruffles down to just below her knees.

Soun immediately burst into tears and charged in to crushingly hug his eldest daughter. "My baby girl, you're so beautiful. Your mother would be so proud," he managed to blubber out between heavy sobs.

With pride in his eyes, Genma dashed to Akane and enveloped her small body in a big hug. "Oh my future daughter-in-law, you look so pretty." His head bowed over her shoulder.

Akane was happy for her father's reaction to Kasumi, part of her hoped she got a similar overwhelming reaction of emotion from her dope of a fiancé when she finished getting ready, but she had no idea what to do about Mr. Saotome's reaction. She was wondering if she should hug him back, just to get him to stop when she heard the sound of tearing paper behind her. Stepping back to find out what was going on, she tripped on the runner for the shogi and fell backwards.

Genma's training kept him upright as the young woman fell before him. He glanced quickly at the empty red wrapping paper in each of his hands before he heard the sound of breaking glass.

Akane fell on something in the small of her back, all hearing the crack and tinkle of glass from it.

Ranma was purple with anger as he reached for his father.

"Ranma no, it might be okay," Akane said quickly, as she rolled over and grabbed the crumpled box.

The surprise already spoiled by the father's earlier antics, she pulled open the crumpled box, recognizing the image of the cut glass crystal clock on the front. Months ago, when they had been shopping together at Ginza, she had pointed it out to Ranma. She had told him that the glass temple with the clock in the doorway, looked just like her family dojo. At least it did without the glass temple gate in front of it.

The tinkle of broken glass from the opening box was joined by Ranma's knuckles crackled loudly as he made fists, turning from Akane to glare at his sheepish father already several sly steps out of his reach.

Akane drew her present out slowly, smiling despite the broken gate, its crossbeam now through a panel on the side of the main building.

Ranma got another step towards his father before arms grabbed around him from behind in a fierce hug.

"Thank you," Akane whispered as she hugged him firmly.

Ranma softened, sighing relieved that she didn't seem to think it was all ruined. A final glare at his father made Genma swallow.

The ringing of the doorbell took the last of the tension from the moment, Akane using the chance to drag Ranma from the room.

* * *

Pulled along by Akane's small warm hand, Ranma followed behind his fiancée to the front door. As Akane opened it, Ranma saw a young woman about Akane's age, her green hair down to her shoulders with cute pink stripes framing her face. She wore some country coveralls and a thick woolen sweater, with a travel pack on her back and a dry cleaners bag in one hand.

Instantly the two girls gave high pitched greetings and hugged excitedly.

"It's been so long. I'm so glad you came," Akane said. She then gestured at Ranma, "This is my fiancé Ranma Saotome. Ranma this is Akari Unryuu."

"Hey," Ranma replied, looking past Akari at the giant Katsunishiki behind her. "That's a big pig."

Akari nodded, and nervously bit her lower lip. "Um, Akane-chan, please tell me this blind date is with a handsome boy called Mikado?"

Both Akane and Ranma's faces fell. "No," Akane said slowly.

The green haired girl's shoulders fell as she sighed in disappointment. "I'm sure this guy you wanted me to meet is really nice, but I just saw this guy, Mikado, save a little child from being run over. He was amazing," she said dreamily.

"Mikado?" Akane asked, visualizing the blond skater, the only handsome Mikado she knew, skating in to rescue a child from traffic.

"Mikado?" Ranma repeated, imagining the tight wearing pretty boy flouncing in like a fairy to rescue a kid from some kind of slow moving car or cyclist.

"Mikado," Akari repeated dreamily, eyes going blank as she recalled the mysterious hero.

"Um, just give Ryoga a try. He would save a child if one was in danger," Akane offered weakly. "How about I take your dress up stairs. Ranma can show you where to bed Katsunishiki in the dojo, then you can have a bath and start to get ready?"

* * *

Happy to have an action to do, Ranma gestured back out the door to Akari and followed her outside. Leading around the side of the house, Akari followed him, with her giant sumo pig following behind her.

"So do you know anyone strong named Mikado?" the country girl asked.

"Well, I know of one, but I'm new to Nerima. The one I know is a womanizing jerk fiancé to a friend of mine. They are supposed to be out of town though."

"Engaged?" Akari asked nearly hyperventilating. "Maybe this was a different Mikado."

"Maybe. Was he blond and overdressed?"

Giving a relieved cheer, Akari shook her head. "No, brown hair, with a ban..."

"Not him then," Ranma said as he cut her off, somewhat relieved that the girl obviously wasn't interested in the smarmy Golden-boy. Not that Ranma believed the jerk shouldn't have a girl, but after having him leer at his cursed form's chest, he didn't think Mikado could resist temptation if offered, despite Kodachi.

Seeing the dojo, Ranma pointed it out to the girl. "Akane said ta put him in there."

Akari nodded, "I've stayed over before."

Ranma frowned. "Um, does he, you know, do it only outside?" he asked awkwardly, trying to determine if the animal was house broken.

Smiling, Akari nodded. "He doesn't really know outside or inside, just to use the newspaper." To make her point she pulled out some newspaper.

Ranma looked at the rump on the massive sumo pig and the three ply of newspaper. "Right..."

* * *

Sena Ono smiled as she brushed lint from her brother's suit.

"She asked you, Tofu. Yes, you have never faced Soun Tendo like he would be your father-in-law, but you haven't proposed yet so you don't have to ask his blessing tonight."

Tofu winced at the very idea. "But what if... should I?"

With a snorted laugh Sena recalled the way Soun had had all but asked her to marry his daughter Kasumi and her brother off. "If you want, though do it after the dance not before."

"Why?"

"He might just lock you in her bedroom rather than let you two go to this dance," Sena quipped, rolling her eyes as her brother locked up stiffly. "Relax brother, or am I getting the shinai out again."

* * *

"Bathroom is this way," Ranma said, pointing with the shoes in his hand to the corridor through the house as they returned from the dojo.

"Thanks, but I know the way. I won't be long," Akari said cheerfully, allowing Ranma to take her riding boots.

Shrugging, Ranma moved to place his shoes and Akari's at the front entrance. Bending down to put them on the rack, he heard Akane's soft voice call his name from the stairs behind him.

Stepping down the stairs, Akane exulted at her fiancé's wide eyes. The formal yellow dress she had selected used diagonal creasing to give the soft color a striped look that made her seem taller. The belt-strap caught the dress around her waist to flatter her figure. Stepping down to the next step, Akane let her right leg slide out of the thigh high slit on that side to expose the top of her powder yellow stockings.

Continuing down the stairs, Akane smiled her glossed lips and shifted her head delicately to let her hair bounce, the ends tipped up through curlers for lift. Reaching half way down the stairs, she twirled in place to show the cross straps over her otherwise bare back.

She was tempted to ask how she looked but decided that his blue eyes were giving her a better compliment than his mouth could.

Lightly stepping down off the bottom stair, Akane turned to Ranma, approaching him with slow steps to sway her hips. She opened her mouth as she got close to him, but instead of speaking, she licked her pink tongue over her red lips.

His ragged breathing was enough to make her smile and she turned and left him in the entrance hall.

* * *

Still smirking at the memory of Ranma's dazed eyes, Akane almost skipped into the kitchen.

"What's left to make?" she asked her older sister and Aunty Nodoka as they wore aprons over their outfits, in the final steps of finishing the Christmas dinner.

"Too many chefs in the kitchen can get in each other's way, Akane-dear," Nodoka said diplomatically.

"And we do need someone watching Daddy and the men or you could end up losing your present completely," Kasumi pointed out.

Frowning and nodding pleasantly, Akane turned away, reading in Kasumi's expression her fear of her sister making a mess around any apron she put on to protect her dress.

"Besides we need someone to greet guests as they start to arrive," Kasumi added, to hammer the point home.

"Okay," Akane said in surrender, leaving the kitchen.

Passing the front door, Akane saw Kasumi's evening purse on the table near the telephone. A dark smirk crossed her lips and she darted upstairs to get a little present for her older sister.

* * *

Ryoga Hibiki winced as he was sprayed again with cologne by the diminutive ninja manservant of the Kuno household. He briefly wondered if his curse-twin was suffering similarly.

The dark brown tailored suit that he wore was possibly the finest outfit he had ever put on, and he was thankful to Mikado and Kodachi for it and all of the help they had given him. Adjusting his tiger print bandanna, his hand moved to the tightened collar of the yellow tie Kodachi had picked out for him, his eyes looked up to the wooden sign for the Tendo Dojo.

Sasuke nodded in satisfaction. "Good luck, Ryoga-kun."

Holding a bouquet of wild orchids, neatly wrapped with dark brown paper and a yellow bow, he stepped through the Tendo gate and walked to the door. Smiling, he knocked on the door.

Ryoga's smile fell as the door opened and the blue eyes of his hated foe, Saotome, met his. The two young men looked each other over until Ryoga smirked feeling he was for the first time overshadowing Ranma. "Where's Akane-san?"

"Merry Christmas to you too, Pig-boy."

"At least she invited me. I'm not here because my father sold me for food again."

The two young men growled, and as much as Ranma would have loved to take his mood out on his rival, he was mindful of spoiling any more of Christmas for Akane or his mother, by getting his suit dirty in a fight. "Come on, the girls are getting ready. We're having a Christmas dinner here, then headin' to school for the dance."

Shutting the door as Ryoga removed his dress shoes and put on guest slippers, Ranma led the way to the main room where the father's sat at the low table. "Mr. Tendo, this is Ryoga Hibiki. Ryoga, this is Mr. Tendo, Akane's old man."

Soun looked up confused at Ranma's words. "Who?"

Ranma looked back to find empty air behind him.

About then a girl's scream rang out from the bathroom.

Not even half way to the bathroom Ranma saw his mother was moving faster, and paused at the threshold of the bathroom, deciding to let his mother handle it in case Akari hadn't found a towel yet.

* * *

Ryoga stopped walking, having been following Ranma, and was now suddenly in a strange bathroom. When he opened the door to leave, he saw a pretty girl in just a towel. When he looked up at her face he was half relieved and half disappointed that it wasn't Akane.

Screaming in terror at the strange man at the door, Akari tossed her washing things still in the wash bucket at his head. With a clunk and a splash, the bucket bounced off his head and water coursed over Ryoga Hibiki's head.

Akari turned white, as like a ghost the man's clothes fell to the ground empty.

A moment later a strange woman in a kimono stormed into the bathroom, her eyes searching for what had attacked the girl. "What happened?"

"The suit," Akari stated, her arms locked around her to hold her towel to her body protectively. She nodded at the clothes on the tiles in front of Nodoka. "It was a boy, but he vanished when I threw my bucket at him."

If looks could kill, Nodoka's eyes would have made Ryoga's suit burst into flames.

Dazed and in his cursed form, the tiny black piglet with the tiger print collar that was Ryoga Hibiki, squirmed out of the leg of his suit. Looking up, he froze again, this time at the angry glare he was getting. He just darted clear as Nodoka's fist shattered the tiles on which he had been standing.

"Die, sex-fiend!" Nodoka cried.

Speeding towards the wash stool near the taps, Ryoga pulled up before being stomped by a foot that cracked the tiles he had been about to cross.

Rushing into the room, Akane glanced to her towel wearing friend, eyes going wide as she saw Nodoka attacking the piglet. "Aunty wait, it's Ryoga."

"Not for long!" Nodoka said. Neither girl was sure where the older woman pulled the Saotome family blade from as she tried to carve the piglet up.

Only his years of experience dodging grabbing hands or predators kept Ryoga from being diced into pieces by the woman wearing the magical fighting dogi under her kimono.

For an instant, Ryoga thought he had been sliced as his world went dark.

Nodoka pulled up as Akane slid in front of her in her stockinged feet on the tiles, her future daughter-in-law kicked a bucket from the wash rack over and slammed it upside down on the terrified piglet. "Aunty wait! Akari, get hot water!"

Akari scrambled to the laundry room to find some clothes and look for the hot water her friend in the yellow dress had called for.

Seeing Nodoka wasn't going to wait, Akane kicked out at the rack of wash buckets, knocking them upside down on the floor. Less taught Bathroom-Fu as much as having had it inflicted on herself too many times, Akane's hands blurred as she shuffled the buckets over the tiles like a shell game, mixing the one hiding Ryoga in to protect the piglet among multiple targets, hopefully long enough to slow Nodoka down enough for her to calm down.

Nodoka let Akane's hand stop, then even faster sliced all five buckets in half within the blink of an eye.

Frowning at the lack of pig, whole or in halves, Nodoka glared at Akane. The dogi automatically let her intuitively know how she might knock her opponent over and see if the girl had hid the pig behind her back.

Reading the intent of an opponent in Nodoka's eyes, Akane shivered and raised her fists to defend.

The pair stopped for a moment, torn between fighting spirit, pride, and just a sliver of better judgment between them.

"He's a pervert Akane. He has used that cursed form to sleep in my bed, and Ukyo's, and spied on others. Do you really think he is doing it again by accident?"

Akane briefly wondered if she should be protecting this pervert, but recalled Ranma's words. If Ranma believed he wasn't a pervert, despite these accidents, she had to trust him. "Even if he is, I invited him. Please let's not ruin Christmas."

Nodoka frowned but stepped back, letting Akane take the piglet she had tucked into the back strap of her dress and toss him into the hot water of the furo. She watched as the water splashed over the sides as the mass within changed, Akane's eyes looking nervously at Akari standing in the doorway watching in a bathrobe, Ranma behind her holding a kettle.

Breaking the surface of the water, the human Ryoga looked up red faced, hands covering his privates. "I swear, I was following Ranma then I was at the door. I didn't even know it was a bathroom or anyone was in here."

Ryoga looked at the green haired girl apologetically, but as her mouth became a big O and she turned red, he wasn't sure what to do other than sit lower in the bath.

"That's him! That's Mikado!" Akari said in near shock. She then glanced down at her disheveled robe, imagined how much of a mess she looked like, and fled into the changing room.

Akane and Nodoka followed her and her strange reaction out.

Left alone in the furo, Ranma tossed Ryoga a towel.

* * *

"Akari, that's Ryoga Hibiki," Akane said slowly. "That's the guy I wanted you to come to the dance with."

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Ryoga Hibiki," She said dreamily. "That's the guy who saved the little girl from being hit by a truck this morning."

Nodoka pursed her lips as Akane grinned, relieved that Akari hadn't turned on her date for the evening.

"Akane-chan, will you take Akari up and get her dressed?" Nodoka asked before then turning back to the furo to collect Ryoga's suit from the floor.

She glanced at the young man standing in a towel beside her son. Despite her anger for him, if he saved a child...

"Ranma, will you entertain Akane's guest till the girls are ready? I'll dry and iron these and you can be dressed again for dinner shortly."

* * *

Akari frowned as she looked in the mirror in Akane's bedroom. She wore a lovely pink bodice with a white ruffled gown. The lacy white was covered in cute little piglet images.

"What's the matter Akari?" Nabiki drawled from the bed looking bored in a shirt and jeans.

The country girl tried to verbalize it but failed to find the words.

Looking up from preparing some makeup, Akane frowned too. "The frills or the pigs?"

"I love the pigs but Ryoga, he was such a cute black piglet. These are pink."

Getting up, the middle sister moved for the door. "Dress off, I'll get you a skirt."

Akari looked nervously as the older girl left but pushed the layered dress down and stepped out of it. Finally Nabiki returned with a brown leather skirt, and a thick yellow blouse.

"Um, Nabiki-san, is there any more length to that?" Akari asked nervously.

"Do you want Ryoga looking at your legs or Akane's back tonight? You have stockings so you won't be that cold."

Holding her tongue at her sister's words, Akane watched as her friend followed her sister's advice, dropping her dress to quickly pull the short skirt on, then the yellow blouse. Akane grimaced as her friend had to inhale to do up the blouse's buttons around her bust.

Akari posed for Nabiki.

"Workable, and they're durable," Nabiki said with a nod. "Just don't let him rip them off you, I like to wear the skirt."

"She shouldn't rip it because it's MY skirt, Nabiki," Akane complained, glaring at her sister.

"I don't think I should be letting him get me out of either on the first date anyway," Akari said, not entirely adamantly.

* * *

Soun Tendo smiled wistfully as he considered the sounds of the full house, with the Saotome family and Akane's friends in attendance. The hole left by his departed wife still hurt, but time passed. He hoped she'd be as proud of their daughters as he was.

His thoughts turned to his daughters blossoming futures. Nabiki was preparing for university and a career. Akane was so close to her fiancé that they were starting to prepare some thoughts for the wedding. And Kasumi...

As if on cue, Ranma led a stiff Tofu Ono into the living room.

"Ah, glad you could make it, son," Soun stated, using one hand to grab the Doctor's shoulder with a firm squeeze in welcome.

Tofu tried to control his voice to an even level. "Thank you, for allowing me to join you for Christmas."

"Nothing doing, Son. Kasumi-chan's very excited to have you here, maybe the start of a new tradition, having you here every year."

Tofu stumbled at that implication, but brought up his other hand with a bottle in it, silently handing the gift of sake to the master of the house.

"Thank you, Son, I'm guessing that Kasumi-chan must have told you this is my favorite premium brand," Soun said with an impressed smile.

"My sister, Sena, most likely interrogated Kasumi for the brand. She suggested it," Tofu said, the suggestion being shoved in his hand as he got in the taxi earlier.

With glutinous eyes on the bottle, Genma stepped forward. "A shrewd one, that sister of yours. Perhaps we should get that bottle on some heat and toast your relationship over dinner?"

The small hand of Nodoka slipped among the menfolk, plucking the bottle from Soun, her eyes glaring at her husband. "You won't be getting drunk before this dance, nor sneaking off early to come back and drink it. You might, husband, be allowed to ask Soun for a cup should he want to open it after the dance. Am I clear?"

Where most men would have been shamed by their wife's brow beating, Genma Saotome was made of shallower stuff. The moment the bottle vanished into Nodoka's kimono, the bald older man turned back to the doctor.

"Doctor, I've been having a bit of trouble with my back," the selfish martial arts master began before Soun put his arm around Tofu.

"It's not a day for work, Genma. Let the poor boy sit here and wait for Kasumi."

Tofu was about to resist sitting, eager to help, even Genma Saotome, if it gave him something to do in the awkward situation, when Kasumi walked in carrying the first tray of various side dishes for Christmas dinner.

Even with an apron over her red dress, the sight of his date made Tofu's legs give out, landing on his behind with a thump.

"Oh Tofu, no one said you had arrived."

"Um, I just got here," he said with a nervous laugh. "Uh, Merry Christmas, Kasumi."

"Merry Christmas, Tofu. I'm glad you made it."

Taking in Kasumi's warm smile with a tight smile of his own, Tofu's right foot began to tap lightly as he tried to control his nerves.

* * *

"That curse must be awful," Akari said awkwardly to Ryoga as the families and friends enjoyed Christmas dinner.

Like many Japanese that had come to believe through advertising campaigns that the West celebrated Christmas with fried chicken, Kasumi and Nodoka had gone to all lengths to get several large chickens done in a variety of styles, from a large bowl of karage, 'buffalo wings', Southern deep fried, traditional crispy fried, and even a bucket of chicken fried in eleven herbs and spices. These were mixed among plates of more traditional Japanese sides and rice. Even with so many crowded around the table the mountain of food was vanishing fast.

All but Nabiki were dressed up for the dance they would be attending after the meal, the table ranged from the intimate quiet corner of Tofu and Kasumi to the tense side were Ranma glared over Akane at Ryoga who was neglecting Akari on his other side as he kept trying to awkwardly make conversation with Akane or avoid Nodoka's glare.

Ranma focused on biting the flesh from a drumstick as Ryoga took a question from Akari to make a sob story of his hard cursed life to Akane. Worse still it was working, as the girls gushed in sympathy.

Akari was at least trying to sound sympathetic to him over the curse, despite having brought up what a cute pig he was so many times already. "Well it sounds horrible to have so little control, but isn't being a pig much better than a cat or a monster."

Ryoga swallowed some more chicken before replying. "At least being a cat, I would have claws. Everything tries to eat a piglet."

Swallowing quickly, Ranma smirked at a point he could refute. "Not everyone, eh Dorathée?"

Flushing red, Ryoga glared at his rival.

Sensing an inappropriate story Akane put her hand on Ranma's thigh under the table, pressing with her nails to rein him back. Across the table, Nabiki waggled her eyebrows in implication at what Akane's hand was doing under the table.

Nabiki grinned as Akane snatched her hand back. "Dorathée, Ranma?"

"This girl who was always on roller skates. Actually Akane, ya fought her in the Jubaan tournament?"

"Azusa Shiratori?" Akane asked surprised. One half of the Golden Pair of Martial Arts Ice Skating , Akane hadn't given Azusa much thought of what happened to the skater before or after she had beaten her when she had teamed with Mikado again herself and Kuno, then steam rolled her in the first round of the Juban Tournament.

"Yeah, her, she moved to Juban a while back and tried to catch 'Spats' here," Ranma supplied using Ukyo's pet name for the pig before she found out it was Ryoga. "He was terrified of her, and she put this little heart collar with the name Dorathée on it around his neck. You still got ya collar somewhere Ryoga?"

Growling, Ryoga glared back. "Are you going to tell them how she came to you looking to be her partner for ice skating only she didn't think you were handsome enough?"

Shrugging, Ranma continued to glare straight back. "Didn't see her wanting ya for anything but for wearin' tiny outfits to match her dress, Dorathée." Ranma didn't really recall why the ditz skater had come to his school after hearing about his skill. He did recall she had called him ugly after he had resisted her attempts to recruit him for some pairs art.

"Ranma." "Ryoga."

Akane and Nodoka looked at each other suddenly, both blaming different boys for the escalating tension.

"Eat up everyone," Kasumi said to break the moment. "We have to meet Miss Hinako and Mrs. Miyakoji out the front in only ten more minutes."

* * *

Opening the door, Daisuke climbed out of the car, and carefully adjusted the suit he wore awkwardly. It was his nicest outfit but the seventeen year old had only gotten it for a great-aunt's funeral nearly a year ago and it was already sitting a little short in the cuffs.

Climbing out of the driver's door, Daisuke's father looked his son over. "You look good boy," the older man began, holding out a small gift box.

"Give these to Arisu's mother. They're fine chocolates, Mr. Furyoku said this brand is her favorite. Be polite. Be respectful. Mr. Furyoku is very wealthy and very traditional. Don't talk about my business with him, or even with his daughter."

"Yes Dad," Daisuke replied, kind of annoyed at being told this days ago, yesterday, today, in the car and again now. A blind date with a pretty girl was cool, but it wasn't worth this kind of hassle. Especially now that he had found out that Ranma was like a master of understanding women and getting dates.

"I'll wait here," Daisuke's father said interrupting his son's train of thought. "You go get Arisu-chan and then sit in the back seat with her on the way to your school."

Nodding, Daisuke couldn't turn away from his father fast enough. He opened the traditional gate and entered the large property. Walking along a path through a meticulously neat garden, he reached the door to the large but old styled home.

Nearly a minute after knocking, the door opened, and a stern looking woman in a kimono, her hair graying, looked him up and down with distaste.

Swallowing, Daisuke held out the gift his father had given him. "Good evening Mrs. Furyoku, this is for you."

Taking the offering, the older woman's lips remained tightly pursed. Without opening it, she placed the gift on a side table. "My husband arranged this date without consulting me. There is no need for you to enter my house. Arisu will be ready shortly."

With that, she shut the door on him.

Surprised at how things were increasing in awkwardness, Daisuke resisted the urge to try and loosen his uncomfortably tight collar.

A few moments later the door opened. Mrs. Furyoku again glared at him like he was a salesman, before she stepped aside, letting Daisuke see Arisu standing behind her. Nearly a full head shorter than him, Arisu wore a traditional kimono of dark blue with a white trailing pattern of a cherry tree branches across it. Her hair was a dark red and done up nearly as severely as her mothers, though a pair of elegant dark wood hair pins held it in place. Her pale skin was delicately made up.

"Um, Arisu-kun, my name is Daisuke Koumaruburu. Thank you for coming to this dance with me."

Without speaking, Arisu bowed her head once in acknowledgment, her face unreadable.

Purposefully ignoring Daisuke, Mrs. Furyoku, looked at her daughter. "You look beautiful Arisu-chan."

The older woman withdrew a silk wrapped bundle from the sleeve of her kimono, and held it out to Arisu. "I am sorry that your father insisted on this imposition. Please take this, for honor's sake."

Arisu calmly took the silk wrapped item, slender and about a foot long. Daisuke couldn't guess what it might be as Arisu slipped it inside her kimono, but the warning glance from her mother made Daisuke swallow like he had his life threatened.

* * *

Hiroshi Oboko took a calming breath as he held a corsage in a plastic box for his date and knocked on her door. It might not be prom but dating his next door neighbor and crush had gone from an idle dream to reality and his heart and stomach seemed to be more nervous than had this been next year's senior prom.

Without a flourish the door swung open, and Hiroshi stared into a set of bare pierced breasts.

The smell of sweat and sake assailed him as the overweight, shirtless man before him sneered and blew cigar smoke down at his face. Hiroshi tried not to cough as he looked at the snake like oriental dragon inked on the older man's bloated belly.

"So you're the runt who has my Michiko-chan gettin' all gussied up?"

Hiroshi swallowed his heart as he nodded feebly.

The man reached beside the doorframe and pulled out a large umbrella. He idly gave it a swing with one hand like he was testing the weight of a baseball bat. "Did you bring any protection?"

"P-p-p-pardon, sir?"

"Condoms, kid. Did you bring condoms for your date?"

"No sir, I..." Hiroshi stammered, backing away, only to be caught by the hook like handle of the umbrella around his neck.

"Are you stupid? You think just cause its your first time you can't get pregnant?"

Hiroshi was trembling and unable to work out what to say to appease the older man, when Michiko's voice came from inside.

"Uncle, let him go. If he craps his pants I'll miss my date. And if that happens I'm going to stick that umbrella up your..."

Turning, the older man grinned sheepishly, "I was only playing with the kid. He needs some toughening up, straighten his spine, and get some lead in his pencil."

"And how is his 'pencil' your business? It's our first date! It isn't even my business yet!"

"Oh bull, you look like your mother had at your age, and she only had a second date with a guy if she liked his pencil on the first."

"Uncle!" Michiko cried indignantly, before turning her eyes to her date. "Hiroshi, ignore him! My mother wasn't like that."

The older man's voice mellowed as he nodded. "Yeah yeah, you still look just like her."

Graciously accepting her uncle's words, Michiko stepped past him and out to where Hiroshi stood.

Uncle's teasing tone returned again. "Just like when I met her in that bordello!"

"She never sold herself!" Michiko screamed back.

"She was a client!"

"Argh!" Michiko cried in frustration and slammed the door behind her.

As she took deep breaths to calm herself against her maddening uncle, she turned to find her date's eyes locked just below her neck.

"Do you need more time to stare?"

Hiroshi blushed at being caught, his eyes sweeping over the rest of her before locking on her eyes.

Michiko wore a black corseted old European styled dress that cinched her waist and brought her normally average assets to the fore. Below the tightened waist, black layers and folds hung down from her hips to the ground. Though the dress left her shoulders bare, she wore gossamer shawl of black lace, that failed to hide her pale skin or the tattoo of a panda on her neck, and a pair of elbow length black gloves that failed to hide the tops of tattoos on her upper arms.

Her makeup, while thick, accentuated the whites of her eyes and pale skin dangerously. Her black hair was streaked with pink, and she wore more piercings than Hiroshi could easily count across her ears, eyebrow, and a tiny diamond nose stud on her left nostril.

"Hiroshi-chan, I don't think it will rain."

Blushing, Hiroshi removed the umbrella hook from around the back of his neck and leaned the device against the door.

"Ah, sorry, you look... wow. Um, for you?"

Rolling her eyes and wondering why she was putting herself through this, Michiko reached for his trembling hands and pulled the corsage box he held with them to the side of her dress.

"If you can't act like a man and pin this on me without trembling, I am going back inside."

* * *

Sayuri frowned when she saw that she wasn't the first to arrive at the Tendo dojo, seeing the larger figure of Akio lit up by one of the street lights.

She had feared as she calmly walked to her friend's house, that she would be embarrassingly first, now that was replaced with nervousness at approaching the school senior Akio. They both went to the same school, but as he was in the year above hers, and since Sayuri wasn't much for sports herself they never crossed paths. To tell the truth she found him intimidating, with his large build, much larger than other boys, that had helped earn him captain of the school sumo wrestling team.

"Hey," Akio said as Sayuri approached. "Nice dress."

Smiling at the compliment, despite feeling like his eyes were a little too lingering, Sayuri resisted the urge to shiver against the cold. Her glossy blue dress with a matching half jacket was really more for summer, with the skirt ending above her knees and her pantyhose a little too thin for the cool weather. It would all be worth it if she got Daisuke's attention, she reminded herself.

"You look good too," she lied, unimpressed with the kimono he wore. The traditional outfit was older and worn, and she had seen him in it on previous occasions, like when the school hosted competitions with other school sumo teams. Worse, his liberal use of aftershave made her nose crinkle in disgust at nearly ten feet away.

"I hope Yuka wears a dress like that. Be a shame to cover up her legs in a kimono. You got the right idea."

Sayuri was tempted to try and go into the Tendo home and ask to use the bathroom to get away.

Lifting his face from the downward angle of his gaze, Akio sniffed the air. "You smell that?"

Keeping her mouth shut to stop the thought, 'Old spice? How could I not? Did you bath in it?' More safely, Sayuri simply shook her head.

"Fried chicken. Maybe Karage. Kasumi Tendo's cooking," Akio stated. "Akane might be the hottie in that family, but her older sister can really cook. Not sure why that Ranma guy wants a girl who cooks so horribly. At least Yuka gets good Home Ec marks. Yuka said you're even better than her?"

"I do okay," Sayuri said, irrationally feeling dirty at his interest in her cooking skills. The sudden imagined thought of him licking her skin made a shiver run up her spine.

"You cold? Here, stand by me," Akio said, offering one meaty arm up to go around her.

"No, I'm fine. And what would Yuka think?"

Akio shrugged, smirking and picking between his teeth with his fingernail. "She'd be cool with it. After all, you two are close friends, right?"

"Merry Christmas," Hinako Ninomiya's voice called as the teacher approached the two teens.

Swallowing a little bile in her throat, Sayuri smiled in thanks as her home room teacher arrived, distracting Akio from Sayuri. Sayuri was in no way surprised when Akio ignored her in favor of the voluptuous teacher.

Hinako was again wearing her red Christmas jacket, trimmed in white, but rather than done up tight, this time she left it open to display the red miniskirt with a white fur belt around the tight red and green bodice, also trimmed in white to frame her generous swell of cleavage. Her long brown hair was tied back with a piece of tinsel, and atop her head was a Santa hat of the same red as her outfit. Finally her hand held the fishbowl, a string of tinsel around its rim, with the two fighting fish tussling within, as she invisibly drew power from the round opening on top to stay in her adult form for pursuing the widower Soun Tendo.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Hinako," Sayuri replied.

"Yeah," Akio said like he was agreeing.

Ignoring the eyes of the young man she knew as a senior at her school, Hinako looked at the Tendo gate then to Sayuri. "Has an old woman in a ratty kimono gone inside?"

Sayuri shook her head, but heard a new voice before she could answer.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Hinako-chan," Shika called as the dark haired older woman stepped into the light.

Sayuri found it distinctly weird to see her home room teacher glare it out with the attractive middle aged woman in the beautiful dark winter kimono. She had heard Akane complain about the love triangle around the single father, but it was still disturbing to see her teacher have emotions and a life outside of school.

For her part, Hinako looked at the small tea service Shika held comfortably in one hand, wondering if she had the advantage.

The tapping of shoes from down the street drew attention to the late running Yuka. She appeared awkward in her heels as she ran on her toes, stopping in her tracks, seeing the glaring match.

"Wow, if looks could kill," Yuka whispered to Sayuri as she approached, who nodded.

Not taking her gaze off Shika's eyes, both acting as if Samurai facing off on an ancient field of battle, Hinako gestured to her rival's other hand and the tube like box, wrapped in festive paper, in it. "Trying to bribe your way in with a cheap present for Soun? He's not that shallow you know."

"It's not cheap, but I'm glad you're finally seeing that Soun has better taste than cheap things like you."

"At least I am not a second hand 'Christmas cake' who no-one wants."

Suddenly Hinako looked at the Tendo gate, both women then turned away as the front door to the home within opened. Shortly after the house door had opened, the gate opened, Nodoka Saotome stepped out, looking first to the two women, both now calmly smiling in greeting.

"Merry Christmas ladies," she said pointedly. She looked calmly over them both, then at Sayuri, Yuka and finally Akio, "And you, young man."

Introductions and well wishes continued as the Tendos, Saotomes and guests exited out of the gate and into the street, Akane and Akari joining Sayuri enviously discussing the fantastic silver heels Yuka had gotten for the dance.

"Soun-chan, Merry Christmas," Shika Miyakoji stated as the home owner closed the gate behind his guests.

"And from me, Soun-chan," Hinako added not to be out done.

"Oh, Merry Christmas, Shika, Hinako. It is a good night for the children. It's good to be helping them tonight," Soun managed, uncomfortable with the attention.

"Oh, of course, thank you for inviting me," Shika put in before offering Soun the gift in her hand. "Please accept this small gift, in the spirit of the season."

"Oh really, I couldn't accept this," Soun stated, already opening the tube. Its wrapping separated to let the lid lift off and reveal another bottle of sake.

Shika smiled indulgently. "Please accept Soun-chan. It is in the spirit of the evening."

"Thank you, Shika-chan," Soun returned, as Nodoka's hand moved in.

"I'll just keep this with the other bottle. We don't need to give the children a bad example after all." Nodoka glared at Shika, and then at her husband. Holding his gaze she discretely slid the bottle into her kimono.

Nodding in agreement, Hinako was quick to get Soun's attention back to her. "You'd think a mother would know how to behave around impressionable children."

"Perhaps we should head to the school?" Kasumi suggested to break the moment, taking Tofu's arm and pointing down the street.

With general agreements, Ranma took Akane's hand as she looked to the other side where Ryoga's hand covered hers. Ryoga glared at Ranma over Akane's head, but turned away to look when he felt Akari's warm hand take his other hand.

Yuka took Akio's meaty hand, which forced her date to stop his envious gawking at Soun, who had immediately been stuck between the affectionate school teacher and the former beauty queen.

"Old man Tendo gets the chicks," Akio whispered to his date. "Wonder what his secret is."

"He pays attention to his date and not to other people's." Sparing her poorly chosen date a glare, Yuka pulled to walk faster and get him ahead and out of looking at the older man and his dates.

Apparently more inspired by the Casanova widower than his dates tone, Akio reached out to take Sayuri's hand. The dark haired girl smelled the threat before she saw it, stepping faster to catch up and took hold of Ranma's free arm, sparing Yuka a sympathetic backwards glance.

The chain of teens now filled the width of the small urban street as they lead the way to school.

* * *

"Thou shalt not pass!" Kuno's voice thundered around the school courtyard, as he locked eyes onto the demon Saotome.

The fact that everyone in the party that left the Tendo Dojo was still well down the street, nearly half a kilometer away, meant that no one aside from Akane and Ranma, was absolutely sure who the angry kendoist was really referring to, or if it was all of them combined.

Akane shook her head and looked around at her teacher, Miss Hinako who was walking latched on to one of her father's arms. "Miss Hinako, Kuno already lost to Ranma and me in challenges this month. Can he really challenge us again?"

Brown eyes nervously glanced to Soun, knowing she had school rules to enforce, so she could not help her date's daughter. "I'm sorry, but by the rules of the school's Love Dome he can lay challenge one more time. However if he fails again he does go to the punishment chair."

"The barber's chair?" Akane asked, recalling the normally covered seat that stood alone under spotlights behind the ring inside of Love Dome.

"Wait," Ranma asked getting excited, one hand rubbing the back of his hair where his pigtailed once was. "If I beat him a second time, I get to shave his head?"

"Well technically Principal Kuno would get to choose the punishment hair cut."

"Ug. His own pop would never humiliate his son," Ranma understood, throwing a glare at Genma, a father who would and had humiliated his son.

"Oh no, Principal Kuno would shave him bald without a second thought."

Looking up at Akane's words, Ranma grabbed her hand and ran towards the school.

"Ranma!" Akane cried, trying to run in high heels for the first time since Happosai's balance training regimen when he started training her. "He needs to make the challenge to you!"

* * *

Sayuri and Yuka cautiously looked into the school gymnasium, looking past some of the students from the organizing club waiting to greet arriving attendees. Slowly, they looked to the tacky Santa's sleigh where an overly tanned Santa wore sunglasses, and had a palm tree standing behind his red capped head. He sat in the middle of the festive Christmas set near the entrance to Santa's cave.

Resigning themselves to not getting in reach of the psycho who ran their school, the pair of girls in nice dresses got close enough to yell.

"Principal Kuno," Sayuri called.

"Ho-ho-ho," Santa replied. "Der be no principal 'ere, wahini, only dem Big Santa."

"Um, Principal Santa," Yuka tried. "Miss Hinako wanted you to know that Tatewaki Kuno has challenged Ranma Saotome for a second time. If he loses they'll be using the punishment chair."

"Mah boy? No brudda is shaving my sweet boy's head!" Santa cried, rushing for the door in his padded costume, with clippers ready to do any hair cutting today.

* * *

Stepping into the arena, Akane smiled to Ranma as she returned with a pair of pompoms to meet him before he entered the ring to face Kuno. Slipping off her shoes, she posed to cheer her fiancé.

"Are the challengers ready?" Hinako asked formally from the umpire's podium, rolling a five-yen coin in her hand, keen eyes ready to drain the obnoxious Tatewaki Kuno if he made a preemptive strike.

Akane lamented that she had to do this in her nice dress instead of a more durable cheerleader outfit, especially as she couldn't be more acrobatic without bloomers. As Hinako raised her hand to commence the fight, Akane cut her off by stomping her feet with timed elbow strikes and claps in sharp precise dance moves, to a rhythm for her cheer, and use the moves to punctuate them.

"R. A. N-M-A. You can beat him all the way!"

More stomps, dance moves, and pompom waving continued.

"Jump High. Block that stick. His head. It's there to kick!"

A twirl and lashed out arm changed to short punching jabs with the flourished pompoms.

"Break his nose. Break his toes. When you win. I have Mistletoe!"

Ending tossing the pompoms in the air, she posed and held the mistletoe over her head.

Grinning at Ranma, whose now red face showed that he had never had a genuine cheering cheerleader before, Akane's eyes drifted to her shoe, which she had tossed out of her pompom during the third verse. As well as used for balance training, Happosai had taught her how to use a good tall heel like a weapon, causing its curve to bend its path back around like a boomerang. Kuno, far too focused on his anger at Akane cheering his opponent to notice before the tossed shoe hit the back of his head.

Ranma wanted to frown as the hidden attack of the Martial Arts Cheerleading struck a cheap blow on his opponent before the fight, but that was the point of that whole technique regime. Focusing on how her cheer affected him emotionally, and being impressed as the tossed shoe impacted off the taller senior's cranium to lazily bounce back to its owner, Ranma gathered his love for his fiancée and rolled it into his ki, forming a pink glow in his hands ready to strike at the kendoist the heartbeat the teacher declared a start.

Kuno sneered, ignoring the painful bump on his head, and the betrayal of his obviously subverted and bewitched first love. He held his kendo blade at his left hip, at the ready to step forward and slash this cure before he could get off his underhanded technique.

Hinako took a breath, "Ready. Be-"

They began without her.

"Muteki Kurohyou Me-To!"

Kuno was fast, but Ranma was prepared and had the width of the Love Dome ring between him and Kuno to get off his 'Unyeilding Panther Mate' attack. The pink swirl of ki went straight through his defending blade, impacted Kuno in the chest, and sent him back out of the ring to crash to the floor.

* * *

Clapping among the family and friends observing, Genma leaned to his old friend. "Looks like our plan is all coming together. The boy and your daughter are a sure thing."

Soun nodded proudly as he clapped, seeing Ranma and Akane looking at each other after the victory. "Perhaps we should hold back on your plans. We don't want to risk things going too well too fast."

"Why hold back? The worse case is we get the heir to our united schools," Genma hissed back.

Not far from them, Akari gushed to Ryoga, "Oh wow, they're like a team."

Beside her, Ryoga was growling under his breath, already having come to the same conclusion.

A figure in red raced into the room.

"AYE! Ma boy!" Santa cried out over the applause of the families. The disheveled Santa ran into arena and over to the fallen warrior.

"Ma tiny boy!" The elder Kuno cried again as he picked up his son. Openly weeping, he carried him with surprising gentleness over to the nearby barber's chair. Still crying, the tanned man pulled out his clippers.

Tatewaki's eyes snapped open as his father went for his hair, a boken appearing just as suddenly to knock the clippers from his father's hand. Two more slashes and the school principal was knocked back to slump against the wall.

Dressed in her own red Santa's helper jacket, school disciplinarian Hinako Ninomiya passed her glass bowl holding the fighting fish to Kasumi and raised a coin in her hand. "Mr. Kuno, sit down and accept your punishment. Losing a second challenge to the same person in a month carries this punishment. You knew this when you made the challenge."

"Nay, none shall touch my majestic hair!"

Ranma smirked, his eyes on the fallen clippers near the downed Santa Claus. "You can't beat me in here Kuno, let's face it I am gonna shave your head bald. Payback's finally come," Ranma taunted. He was keenly aware of the lack of braid behind his neck, lost when Kuno had taken it as a prize after a fight with his girl form months ago.

Kuno turned from the teacher to face the unarmed Ranma, his boken held at guard while drawing a second like he had in their battle in the mountains. "Inside that circle where I cannot move from your sorceress evil, you might have the advan..."

"Happo Go-en Satsu!"

More annoyed at being ignored than by the foolish student still trying to provoke another fight to avoid the school rules, Hinako's attack dragged the fighting spirit out of the young man.

The instant Hinako lowered that dangerous coin that focused her attack, Ranma darted in. Grabbing the husk like body of his opponent, he manhandled his defeated opponent onto the barber's chair, strapping his limp limbs in with the convenient straps.

Picking up the clippers, Ranma smiled darkly before Akane laid a hand on his arm to stop him.

He frowned for all of a second before Akane handed him one of the electric clippers hanging on the back of the chair. "These are faster," she said simply.

"That is hotter than your sexy voice technique."

Akane blushed and watched as Ranma dragged the buzzing electric clippers through Kuno's limp hair.

* * *

Nabiki looked up from her coffee mug hearing a knocking on the front door. Shuffling over in her bathrobe, pink bunny slippers and beanie, to the front door she quickly opened it.

"What did you forget?" she called to whoever was coming back after leaving not long ago for the dance. She cocked an eyebrow seeing Jiro Ohata, looking back at her with a frown.

"I take it you didn't get my message?" he said somewhat disappointed, looking at her in her choice of outfit.

"Oh, that was tonight?" Nabiki said embarrassed, eying him in his smart sweater and jeans combination. "Just give me a moment."

Jiro frowned at the idea of paying for more of the taxi drivers time, having already sat watching the meter going up waiting till after the Tendos, Saotomes, and the gaggle of others had met up and left for some local event.

His annoyance dropped when less than fifteen seconds after Nabiki left, she returned.

Knowing he had been played, that under her robe she had already been wearing the white blouse with a denim halter, and matching blue jeans showing off her slender legs. Her hair immaculate despite having been under the beanie, she smiled her glossed lips and strode past him to start putting on her tan heels from the rack beside the door. Picking up a matching clutch in her hand, she hung a cute denim half jacket over her shoulder. "Shall we?"

"Merry Christmas, Nabiki-san." Jiro said as he opened the door for his date.

* * *

Still smiling from the humiliation of the obnoxious blowhard Kuno, the spectators of the fight followed the victorious couple towards the school gymnasium doors, when Akane pulled Ranma aside and waved the others to go on. "We'll be right behind you," she told Kasumi and the others, Ryoga and Genma about to stop before Nodoka herded both inside.

Licking her lips, Akane looked at her date. "Ranma, I really loved the present you got me."

"If Pops hadn't ruined it, sure," he lamented.

"No, it's good. If anything it looks more like the dojo with the hole in the side. I swear, I love it," Akane said quickly, things not going the way she wanted. "But I have your present here. It isn't much but I thought now was the right time to give it to you."

Ranma turned pink as Akane held out a thin box, a formal pen box she was using for her gift to him. Opening the velvet box, Ranma was surprised to find two bracelets, red and dark blue threads in tight braids with simple silver clasps on the end.

"Yuka helped me make them, I thought they could symbolize us. Two bracelets for the two of us. Since they were made from the hair you took back from Kuno that first time you fought him, your red braid and the hair he cut from me over a year ago. I thought it was the right time to give it to you now, after you got him back for both of us just then."

Trying not to frown, Ranma struggled between his dislike for jewelry, what with how stuff got broken in fighting, and not rejecting this gift from his fiancée. Suddenly Ranma smiled, "I love it," he said, all the time meaning 'you'.

* * *

Entering the festive hall, Akane pointed out the decorations with one hand as her fingers laced with Ranma's and gripped him hard enough to make Ranma glance at her. The proud young woman waved to friends and classmates with her prize of a fiancé at her side.

Akari smiled and waved back. Beside her Ryoga missed their entrance as he was redirected by a student from the dance club who was trying to stop him from coming to her side of the greeting table rather than continue into the main area.

Moving inside, the group of family and friends started coming together near some empty tables and chairs, set on one side of the hall for the guests. One table in the center was occupied by Hiroshi and his date, the pink striped dark haired girl smirking at the reactions she was getting. Between the black corset that was lifting and gathering a shameless amount of cleavage, and her many piercings and tattoos, few of the Japanese students were comfortable doing more than gawk at her from a distance.

Hiroshi stood up, waving the approaching Ranma and others over. "Ranma, this is Michiko."

"Oh, hey, sorry bout yesterday," Ranma said awkwardly with his hand behind his head. Seeing her dark eyes narrowing, Ranma quickly continued with introductions. "Um, this is my fiancée Akane."

"What happened yesterday?" Akane asked immediately, her eyes flashing darkly.

Michiko smirked at Akane, then at Ranma. "Your fiancé gave my date some advice about asking me out."

Akane didn't miss the 'you owe me' look the girl gave Ranma. Ranma didn't miss the 'I won't drop this' look Akane gave him.

Giving a sigh, Ranma leaned in to whisper to Akane, explaining about the poorly timed window incident. Seeing Akane's dislike, Ranma squirmed. "Come on, you think I'd go for her tats and stuff over that natural mark on your backside?"

Akane blushed, not wanting to go into how unnatural those two green and black swirls on her behind were, but Ryoga had moved close enough to hear the whisper. He poked Ranma in the chest to push him back from Akane. "You cad, talking so lowly to your fiancé. She deserves better than you."

"Why don't you butt out bacon-breath," Ranma began before Akane's hands slapped lightly onto each young man's chest. Keeping them apart, Akane glanced to Akari for assistance.

Akari didn't notice, being too busy glaring at Michiko. Neither girl was impressed that despite Akari having green hair and Michiko black both had identical pink streaks.

* * *

Shika's eyes were narrowed as she looked at Michiko and Akari's stare off. Not about their hair but their attire.

"Children today," she muttered, shaking her head.

Looking over, Hinako tilted her head. "Problem Shika?"

"Of course you wouldn't see a problem. You're as bad as them. At least some girls have put on nice dresses, when did mini skirts and blouses become acceptable formal wear, let alone a black corset. Why not just wear fishnets and advertise an hourly price?" Shika continued waspishly.

"Oh get over yourself and welcome to the present day," Hinako returned through a fake smile.

Nodoka glared at the pair of them. "Both of you can calm down. The times have changed, though pushing the bounds of good taste, they at least are showing some effort to get what they want in the attention of their dates. Little boys like to see a little skin, it isn't like they are dressing down for a mature man, nor showing nothing to inspire their date out of his shell."

Both women glared at Nodoka as she put their issues with the widower Soun into their building bickering. Looking away disinterestedly from them, her eyes fell up on a shorter girl entering the hall with Daisuke. The blue and white kimono the girl wore was of such obvious quality, the married woman felt slightly embarrassed at her own. A quick glance to Shika showed the former beauty queen was similarly impressed.

"It is nice to see some traditional values continue," Nodoka added.

* * *

As Daisuke introduced his date, Arisu, to everyone at the table, Ranma saw Hiroshi dart across the empty dance floor towards the small DJ set up at the end of the hall. The blue eyed young man watched as his relatively new friend spoke with the DJ for nearly a minute, before he finally turned and started back towards the group. A worried look was on Hiroshi's face.

Walking back, Hiroshi waved ahead to Ranma who tugged on Daisuke's sleeve so they could meet Hiroshi just out of earshot of the girls.

"We got a problem," Hiroshi explained. "The guy only has one Michael Jackson song and it's a remix. He is going to play it next, are we still doing this dance?"

Feeling a little nervous, Ranma didn't let it show on his face, giving a cocky grin and a nod to the less confident faces of his two friends. "Chill guys, it isn't about really dancing well. We knew we'd look pretty dumb, but trust me, Akane will like that I am tryin' ta dance and I bet your dates will too. Just look ya date in the eye so she knows ya doin' this for her. If this is a mix song, just try ta keep to the beat and do some of the moves we practiced for whatever song comes up. Just don't stop, if you get stuck look to me or each other for what to do next. And if that fails, just do some kata till ya get a better idea."

Relaxing and nodding in agreement with Ranma's advice, both boys paled at his last instruction. Before they could say they didn't know any martial arts practice forms, the current song ended and the beat of the mix song began. Fast paced with a backing of low guitar, the two boys took poses of air guitarists while Ranma spun to face Akane and those around her as the song opened with the oppressive English lyrics of 'Beat It'.

Akane laughed out loud seeing this new side of her fiancé. Her hands clapped to the beat to encourage them as the crowd around her was forgotten to watching her Ranma play dance star.

Tossing his wrist with waves of his arm to the beat, Ranma shot a smile to Akane as he started repeating the moves he had studied off Michael Jackson's music videos. Rolling his shoulders and shifting his hips in time, he threw himself into the act like any training, knowing going half way would look worse than committing himself. Behind him, he felt more than saw Hiroshi and Daisuke doing their best to keep in time and similar action. Not copying the more flamboyant moves Ranma used, the pair stepped to the left or right, throwing the occasional kick or flicked heel out and back. The pair kept up only by reading subtle hand clues from Ranma leading the dance.

Watching from her seat, Michiko smirked despite herself, her eyes tracing Hiroshi's moves as he danced. She normally hated pop music but watching as Hiroshi danced backup behind Ranma, she was glad that at least he could move.

Daisuke swallowed nervously as he danced and tried to read the face of the kimono clad Arisu watching him dance. At least she leaned enough to keep watching as Sayuri stepped partly in between the couple as she watched and cheered for the dancers.

Too busy watching the audience, Daisuke stumbled when with a final "Whose Bad?" from the singer the music changed. The beat turned slower and darker electric tones with a background howl of a wolf. The three dancer's movements became more subdued, doing a practiced shuffling walk on the spot to the start of 'Thriller'.

As the synthesizer crescendo began, Ranma gave sharp "Woo!" and spun in place before joining Daisuke and Hiroshi like a line of dancing ghouls, arms up to one side then the other as they moved forwards then back in a lurching relentless march.

Akane couldn't stop laughing and clapping to the beat as Ranma broke ranks to pose and attempt to mime the lines of the deep voiced westerner speaking of the evil of the night and the irresistible power of "The Thriller."

Tugging on Ryoga's shoulder, Akari smiled and pointed like her blind date would miss some of it, even as he studied his rival's movements, unable to see how acting the fool was so entertaining to Akane and the others.

The music again changed, this time the beat staying but the tones far lighter. The high tone of Michael's singing in English the lyrics of 'Don't stop till you get enough'.

Kasumi's eyes widened and her cheek's pinked, watching as Ranma led his backup into crotch grabbing and hip-thrusting dancing. Edging around, she moved towards the DJ, trying to wave him to move on as school students and their parents watched her future brother-in-law's sexual dancing. She looked with a glare as her own sister gave a "whoop" of encouragement.

Soon enough the mix changed again, the synthetic tones joined by more guitar and drum as Michael's voice sang of racial division and issues between 'Black or White'.

Their moves stolen from the music video, Hiroshi and Daisuke lined up behind Ranma, enacting dancing with lots of head turning. In succession, each would bow out to let the man behind take their place like a single changing dancer.

Akane laughed as the boys failed to translate the meaning of multiculturalism behind the song, but kept clapping and encouraging the unexpected show. Dragging her eyes from Ranma, Akane noticed Sayuri was watching and cheering Daisuke on, while near her Yuka glared at her date who was picking through the snacks on the refreshment table.

Rolling his shoulders, Ranma smoothly transitioned into the next song of the mix, one he hadn't seen the dance video for. Going with the beat he snapped the occasional punch or kick out before shifting both legs out to one side, clicking his fingers before twisting his hips to snap his legs the other way. Going up on his toes and bended knee, he flicking back his jacket with a "Woo!" before pulling his shoulders forward to quickly get it back on.

Another change in the harmonies shifted the song again, the mix now one the boys had translated as some kind of love song, about a girl called 'Billy Jean'.

Ranma led the trio in moves from the music video, twisting his legs out, flinging out his arm with just enough ki to reflect off the ground and create a wind to flare his suit jacket behind him as he clapped his arms over his head.

Hearing the words of the song, Kasumi smiled for a moment, recalling an old favorite of her own. Old memories froze as she remembered the story behind the song, of a denied indiscretion, her jaw dropping seeing Ranma thrusting his hips at her baby sister.

Nodoka smiled as Akane laughed and encouraged the boys in their unexpected and ostentatious dancing act. Watching a series of hip thrusts from her son at Akane, the older woman turned her eyes to find Kasumi lest she was reacting poorly to the antics. She spotted the elder Tendo sister up talking to the DJ. More like talking 'at' the music supplier by the body language of the young woman, and the DJ shaking his head was not the right answer as Kasumi said something back and poked him in the forehead hard enough to make him stumble back.

Hitting his equipment with one hand as he stumbled back, the DJ's music shifted with a ripping sound and the beat suddenly much faster.

Hiroshi and Daisuke stumbled at the unexpected shift while Ranma smoothly moved into the new beat. Seemingly uncaring at the speed as his feet started darting out, his movements becoming more linear even as he went faster than any song on Dance Dance Revolution.

A moment later, the DJ got back to his feet and shifted to a new track, a slower song.

Akane rushed onto the dance floor to her lightly sweating fiancé as he looked disappointed at the song being over so soon. He had little time to consider it as Akane hugged onto him firmly, breaking only after a minute to slow dance in his arms.

* * *

Ignoring the fact they were among the only couples actually dancing in the hall, Akane looked up at her fiancé. She could feel the heat coming off his body as she held him close in the slow dance. "Why on Earth did you do that?"

"Didn't ya like it?"

"Of course I did idiot, I loved it. I just had no idea you were going to dance like that," she said, giving another firm hug to her fiancé to prove her point.

Ranma shrugged. "You wanted to go to this dance so I figured I'd learn to dance."

"I meant like this, but thanks for doing it. To Hiroshi and Daisuke too, I didn't know they could dance."

"Neither did they," Ranma quipped. "But it looks like Hiroshi got points with the tattoo chick so it worked for him."

Turning her head to see the other way, Akane smiled at Hiroshi and his date dancing together. Looking past her distaste for the tattoos and piercings on the girl, Akane idly wondered if she could get a little lift to her assets with a corset.

Taking control of their dance to turn Ranma and her to the side, Akane looked to see Daisuke hadn't had as much luck with his date, the girl in the kimono apparently unmoved. Akane winced slightly seeing Daisuke was trying to make some conversation with his date, only for Sayuri to dominate doing all the talking on Daisuke's other side.

"Dai's date reminds me of my Mom," Ranma whispered.

"The proper posture and kimono?"

"That and the way she's giving her date the cold shoulder," Ranma stated, before nodding towards Akari and Ryoga. "But at least she isn't staring at you rather than dancing or talking with his date."

* * *

Akari bit her lower lip wondering how to ask Ryoga if he wanted to dance when one of Akane's friends sat heavily in the seat beside her.

"Pig," Yuka huffed.

"Pardon me?" Akari asked.

Yuka shook her head and nodded towards Akio still at the refreshment table. "Sorry, I picked a date who'd rather stuff his face than dance."

"You called him a pig like it was a bad thing," Akari pointed out, prompting an odd look from Ryoga.

"Well he's over there eating more than his share..."

"I'll have you know," Akari interrupted. "Pigs are a very noble and generous animal."

With her own huff, Akari stood and took Ryoga's hand. "Ryoga-kun, may we dance?"

* * *

"Would you like to dance, Arisu-san?" Daisuke asked nervously, gesturing to where the others were already on the floor.

"No thank you," Arisu replied in a quiet voice. "Mother doesn't like this kind of music."

Awkwardly, Daisuke sat beside his date, desperately wondering how to talk to her.

Sayuri watched the couple going to the dance floor. Taking a deep breath to settle herself as she took a step forward to ask Daisuke for a dance, she faltered as Arisu's dark eyes glanced at her as if the shorter girl knew what she was going after her date.

Taking a seat, Sayuri watched other girls dancing with their dates, sighing often at the smiles on their faces.

* * *

Picking up two cups, Ranma started filling them with punch from the table. His hands brushed near Ryoga's as his rival in the brown suit also filled two cups. There was a glint in Ryoga's eye that made Ranma sure the lost boy intended to give the second cup he was pouring to Akane.

Still, having experience as a waitress, Ranma was the faster at filling his cups as Ryoga nearly spilled punch on his sleeve as he rushed to keep up. Turning from Ryoga, Ranma found his path blocked by his father.

"You looked like a fool," Genma said unhappily. "Even your fiancé was laughing at you."

"Don't try me Old Man. Not after Akane's present."

"Between a silly clock and making a fool of yourself, you'll lose her."

"Pop, look at Akane. See that smile. My fiancée is happy. Look at Mom," Ranma pointed to his mother who smiled to him, then glared at her husband with a frown. "Mom ain't gonna ta get over that. Don't you see you're losing with her?"

Ignoring the glare from his wife, Genma glanced at his son. "Boy, she loves me, this is just one of her moods. Acting like a fool would only make her embarrassed."

"Pop, you're losing her 'cause you're the fool. You think you've won and that's it. You're losing 'ause you stopped attackin'. I'm on the offensive. That dancin' might be lame but Akane, she sees me tryin'. You've quit the fight."

Turning from his father, Ranma frowned seeing Ryoga handing a cup of punch to Akane.

* * *

Genma Saotome had a deep frown on his face as he looked at the dance floor where a sporadic number of students were jumping around like fools to the music.

His eyes drifted over to Nodoka, his wife, talking with Shika and some girl in a kimono. Not surprising really since the girl reminded him of his wife when they were younger.

A flash of light caught his eye, turning him to where a teacher was still arranging a camera before the Santa themed set on the other side of the hall.

With a shrug, Genma sucked his gut in and walked over to his wife.

* * *

Akane smiled as she was offered a cup of punch. Taking it, her smile turned awkward as she looked up and realized it was from Ryoga and not Ranma.

Sparing a glance for Akari, Akane stammered out a "thank you".

"You're welcome," Ryoga said almost shyly. Ready to gloat at Ranma the lost boy suddenly felt awkward seeing Ranma was delayed, leaving them with Akari as a third wheel and no drink for the green haired girl.

Akane glanced towards Ranma, holding two cups of punch as he talked to his father. Her brown eyes focused on the red and blue band clasped around his wrist with a little smile.

Ryoga blinked, recalling some of Mikado's words on dating. 'Occasionally show attention to another girl. Girl's like to get jealous and she'll want to claim you.'

Smiling, the bandanna wearing boy offered his cup of punch to Akari. Even as he handed it over, he glanced to Akane and internally cheered the smile she gave him.

"Oh thank you Ryoga-kun, you're so generous."

Looking back at Akari, he smiled shyly at her words.

An annoyed Ranma finally arrived with his two cups of punch. His lips twitched seeing Akane already holding a drink when Ryoga casually grabbing one with a smug, "Thanks."

Ranma frowned, looking between Akane and Ryoga.

* * *

"It is simply gorgeous, Arisu-chan," Shika gushed over the girl's kimono. "So much more appropriate than some."

Nodoka nodded at the pointed words of one of Soun's dates, sharing her glare for the girl in the black western corset who was talking with Hinako, Soun's other date nearby. Her glare all too easily shifted to her approaching husband.

"Wife dear, I was thinking we might get a photo of us together," Genma stated firmly, hooking a thumb at the school teacher setting up a camera. "We don't have many after all."

Nodoka looked at her husband for a long moment unable to see his eyes behind the glare off his glasses. Finally she offered her arm and Genma grinned in victory as he put his hand on hers and they walked towards the Christmas photo set.

* * *

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Nabiki complained as she was led up the stairs. Jiro's warm hands, one holding her hand, the other was over her eyes as it had been for the last ten minutes in the taxi.

The sounds of some of the crowd entering the same venue failed to give away the location, and Jiro hoped their noise might cover the sound of trademarked musical themes played from inside.

"Are you ready?" Jiro whispered gently in her ear.

"Show me?"

Uncovering his date's eyes, Jiro smiled as her eyes brightened taking in the huge sign for Tokyo Disneyland over the gate that many other couples were venturing into.

"Wow, thank you Jiro," Nabiki said breathlessly before grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the gates. She had heard how many Japanese couples liked amusement parks like this at night, especially romantic nights like Christmas.

The fast moving queue quickly had the pair up to the sales booth and ready to enter. Opening her purse, Nabiki took out a slip of paper and passed it to Jiro.

"I've got it Nabiki-chan. You are my date," Jiro defended with a casual smile.

"Oh I know, but my sister is great at collecting coupons, so I grabbed this one for half off a second ticket when I worked out where you were bringing me," Nabiki returned with a smirk, offering the coupon again.

"You worked out the mouse in the box," Jiro said slightly embarrassed at assuming he had gotten one over her. "You don't like to make this easy do you?"

Nabiki leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You'd never be satisfied if I was easy."

Grinning back at her, Jiro realized he was going to have to lift his game.

Neither saw the shadow watching them leap the outer wall and enter without paying.

* * *

"Say Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" Nodoka forced through her teeth.

-Flash-

Blinking away the flash, Nodoka kept the fake smile on her face. Still suspicious of her husband being nice as the married couple stood up from the Santa sleigh set the photographer was in front of.

Confirming their name so they could pick up copies later in the week, Genma led Nodoka towards the entrance of 'Santa's cave', the mock up of the corridor dark from the well lit outside.

Raising his hand, Genma pointed to the sprig of plant over the entrance and guessed what it was. "That's mistletoe, dear. Lovers are supposed to kiss under it."

Raising her eyebrows, Nodoka reached out to her husband and firmly took his jaw with her slender fingers. Applying a little too much strength granted by the magic dogi she wore under her kimono, she tilted his head to the side before softly kissing his cheek.

"Come along husband."

Leading into the darkness, the two adults were the first of the evening to cross into the dark corridor. Inside the only light came from the entrance and the light at the end of the tunnel, making it a faint shadowy romantic realm within.

A red light blinked on the wall.

-BUZZZZ-

With that single warning, metal arms reached from the roof and walls for their unwitting victims.

A moment later, Genma Saotome stumbled into the light. His hands patting at his bald head, shreds of his bandanna fell away from his shiny dome.

Buzzing and the sounds of swipes became a clatter of breaking metal before silence reigned in the cave.

Walking calmly out of the now lightly smoking mock cave, dropping a metal arm ending in electric clippers, Nodoka Saotome glared at her husband.

"Thank you for your assistance, husband," she said in a slow, icy tone.

Without faking a smile, Nodoka looked at Akane and Ranma as they approached. "This would be the work of that hair fetishist principal of yours?"

"Um, Aunty..." Akane said nervously. With a single finger, Akane pointed to Nodoka's shoulder.

Looking, Nodoka's eyes widened at the red-brown strands of cut hair there.

Genma swallowed at the glare promising retribution his wife gave him before she stormed off towards the bathroom in hopes of finding a mirror to see how obvious the cut was.

* * *

Pinning part of her hair back with a hair pin, Nodoka examined her efforts in the school bathroom mirror.

"That's not bad Aunty. You can't even notice it like that," Akane said, her tone overly up belying the truth and situation.

"Thank you Akane-chan. Go back to dancing with Ranma, I need a moment before I face my... husband, again."

Nodding, Akane quickly turned and opened the door, leaving the older woman in alone.

With slow deliberation, Nodoka put her hand in her kimono, pulling out the slender box within.

While she had hidden Tofu's gift of sake for Soun back at the Tendo home, this gift from Shika she had simply put in her kimono. The magic of the dogi imbued her with martial arts knowledge that let her hide the bottle, much like items and weapons she had seen hidden in the clothes and sleeves of several martial artists. It was an odd feeling, being aware of the item at her side but so completely comfortable with its weight and position as one moved that there was no danger of it falling out or being uncomfortable.

With a quick pull the lid of the tube box came off, and she lifted the bottle within out. With a twist, the bottles stopper followed suit and she raised the bottle to her lips.

* * *

A flash of light across the dance floor drew Akane's eyes to the photographer near the Santa's sleigh taking a photo of Hikaru Gosunkugi and his date. Said date quickly dragged him on into the darkened corridor of the mock Santa's cave, the first to brave it since the Saotomes, even though Nodoka had broken the trap within.

Yuka noticed where she was looking. "I heard that Kaori girl already took 'Voodoo' to meet her parents. I just don't get the attraction."

Nodding, Sayuri leaned in. "I heard Ms Hinako asked him who hit him when he showed up to class with his lips all puffy. Apparently Voodoo and Kaori were kissing for so long they puffed up like he'd been punched," she said with a slightly envious sigh, also using the nickname Gosunkugi had in their class.

Sayuri looked across the table to Daisuke just as the boy's date stood, bowed politely and walked towards the bathrooms. Yuka caught the look and leaned in closer to Ranma.

"You know that debt you owed us? Here's your chance. Go hit on Daisuke's date."

"Whoa," Ranma said overly loudly, even as Akane glared at Yuka. "What the hell?"

"Look," Yuka said rolling her eyes like he was a child. "He isn't happy. You go sweet talk and ask her to dance. While you two are dancing, then Sayuri can get him to dance with her. You do owe us."

"How about I say no," Akane growled at her friend.

With a nod to Akane, Ranma looked back to Yuka. "The last thing I need is to have another girl fall for me, not that I would be so low as to move on a friend's girl."

Ryoga ignored the guilty pang in his chest, mentally reminding himself Ranma was not his friend.

"It's just one dance," Yuka said.

Sayuri put her hand on Yuka's arm and shook her head.

With a shrug, Ranma looked towards Arisu's back as she entered the ladies bathroom. "Besides, she doesn't look very happy either. Have you thought of asking her if she wants to be here and would she mind if you danced with Daisuke?"

Blushing at being so forward, Sayuri looked at the couples around her and stood up, purposefully walking towards the toilets herself.

Akane leaned to Yuka, "Do you think she'll do it?"

"Nah."

* * *

Opening the bathroom door, Sayuri bumped straight into Arisu coming back out.

"These stalls are filthy," the shorter girl said simply before pushing gently past Sayuri and back outside.

Sayuri would have told Arisu that they were as clean as they normally were for a public school bathroom, only her head was too locked up with the feeling of the prominent bulge on the front of the 'girl' when she had bumped into 'her'.

* * *

"Look at that," Shika said, pointing towards the dance floor where to a fast moving song, Michiko was near grinding her thigh between a red faced Hiroshi's legs. "Shouldn't you do something about that? You are supposed to be chaperoning these children. She's obviously a bad influence."

Nodding, Genma leaned towards Soun, "Remember what the master says about women with tattoos."

Hinako looked at Shika, "It is a bit forward by modern standards. Of course if I were born as long ago as you, Shika, I might also think it is going too far for my prudish sensibilities that I can't see the difference between dancing and love making."

Returning the scathing look, the mature beauty queen shook her head. "This is why I never wanted my daughter to come to this school."

The brown eyes of Hinako lit up. "Soun-chan, perhaps we should help Shika see that the school two of your daughters attend is not the lowly disgusting place she implies."

Smirking at Shika's wince at her words being twisted so, Hinako dragged Soun to his feet and towards the dance floor.

"Um, Hinako-chan, I'm not really comfortable dancing," Soun stammered out.

Batting her eyelids, Hinako put Soun's hands on her hips, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Soun-chan, look at it this way, we dance for a few minutes and we not only show Shika-chan that you didn't send your children to a place teaching them bad lessons, but perhaps inspire your Akane to be more adventurous with her fiancé and help push them closer to getting married."

"If you're sure..." Soun said, clearly unconvinced.

"Oh I'm sure. Just leave it to me and tell me if it makes you feel like being... a delinquent."

* * *

Shika seethed as she watched her rival lead her date out on the dance floor. It got much worse when the school teacher pressed her thigh between the eligible widower's legs, swaying to the beat.

Looking around for aid to end this dry humping dancing, she instantly gave up on Genma who was already heading to see if there were any scraps left on the refreshments table. Nodoka was pulling her cup of punch from her kimono sleeve and drinking it with an oddly content smile. And Kasumi was too busy slow dancing with her boyfriend, too entranced to even realize the song was too fast for slow dancing.

* * *

-Thunk-

At the heavy sound, the DJ looked to see a traditional wooden tea spoon buried three inches into the wall near his head.

Swallowing, he looked out over the room to see one chaperon glaring at him. A yummy mummy if he ever saw one, the angry woman gestured to her kimono attire.

Quickly selecting the closest song he had to a traditional song, the DJ looked at the current track details, he saw it had two more minutes to run, and held up two fingers to signify...

-Thunk-

Another dart past between his digits and embedded in the wall.

He hit the fade-out to the current song and fade-in to the next.

-Thunk-

This third dart sprayed a light green powder on impact. The instant it touched his lips, his body froze looking out at the crowd. 'It's a paying gig. It's a paying gig,' he reminded himself as he saw the woman smiling and moved for the older man on the dance floor, cutting in on the hot teacher.

* * *

A cautious wave from Sayuri got Daisuke's attention as he sat in awkward silence with his pretty date.

"Excuse me Arisu," he said, taking her bowing her head as acceptance, making his way over to his classmate. "What's up?"

Biting her lower lip, Sayuri squirmed where she stood. "Uh, are you sure your date... is a girl?"

"Huh?"

"I, ah, I bumped into her in the bathroom, she's... got a package!" Sayuri hissed embarrassed.

"No way," Daisuke said, but still giving a glance to the girl in the chair nearby.

Swallowing, Sayuri shrugged awkwardly. "I'm not lying."

A change in the music to a new song got the attention of the two teens. An old traditional piece of sharp plucked strings of a koto, interspersed with low wood taps, was so unexpected it quickly emptied the dance floor. As Hinako and Soun walked off, Soun was pulled back onto the floor by Shika, a woman several students recognized from once guest teaching tea ceremony at school.

To both teens surprise, Arisu stood gracefully and gestured for Daisuke to return and go with her to the dance floor.

Daisuke swallowed and did so, one eye looking to see if Arisu had an Adam's apple.

* * *

It was Hinako's turn to seethe as she returned to the table, idly starting to drain the fighting fish in her bowl as Shika began a traditional dance.

Moving in slow, measured movements to the music, the attractive woman pinned her date with her eyes as she danced for him. Pulling out hand fans to open them as she flowed from one movement to the next, she smiled without missing a beat as young Arisu brought her date also out on the floor. The younger girl fell into step with Shika's actions like they had practiced together for years.

* * *

Nodoka sighed as she watched the pair of women dance for their men. She felt old as she pulled her punch cup from her sleeve, but her mood cheered by slyly refilling the cup.

"She reminds me of me when I was younger," she said idly to herself. She smiled ruefully as she acknowledged her own skill had never really been equal to that shown by the two women dancing at the moment.

Her brown eyes looked over to said husband, an older fatter man that the one she once danced for. "Idiot," she declared and drank down her cup.

* * *

Reaching the end of the song Kasumi was the first to start clapping for the performance of the women. Others around the hall joined in as the DJ equipment automatically continued the play-list, a much faster modern rock piece started, luring students back out onto the dance floor.

"That was lovely," she said as she passed Shika. Tofu nodded similar encouragement as Kasumi dragged him out to the dance floor to start dancing again.

"Thank you," Shika replied, but her eyes drifted to Hinako, challenging her rival.

Daisuke nervously escorted Arisu back to the table, biting his lip as he purposefully stepped into her while acting as to pull her chair out. One of his hands brushed against her, trying to subtly check Sayuri's previous claim.

There was a bulge.

"You pervert!" Arisu exclaimed. In the blink of an eye, her hand went to where she was just touched, yanking back with a tanto blade that flashed silver as she slashed her date.

Daisuke jumped back, his eyes wide as the end of his tie fell loose to the floor. "It was an accident, I swear!"

Regaining control of herself, Arisu sheathed the knife and glared at Daisuke. "I want to go home now."

"Ah, sure. Okay," Daisuke said, gesturing the way as the couple quickly left. Escorting her out the young man kept always just out of reach of the shorter girl.

* * *

As another fast song ended, Kasumi smiled breathlessly to Tofu, the pair returning to the table where her father sat with Shika and Hinako. Nearby sat the sumo wrestler Akio with one arm around an uncomfortable Yuka. His other hand was on the back of Sayuri's chair as she looked bored and played with Daisuke's cut off tie.

"Are you all having fun," Kasumi asked the girls, hoping to provoke them into getting out and dancing rather than just sitting here.

"Um yeah," Yuka said unconvincingly. She glanced darkly to her date, crinkling her nose, before she looked back to Kasumi. "Do you have a mint?"

Smiling, Kasumi nodded and reached for her purse. Beside her, Tofu gently touched her elbow. "If you have enough I could use one myself."

"Of course," Kasumi said undoing the latch on her purse. Caught on the flap as Kasumi opened it, a foil wrapped condom was pulled out. More followed as the strip spilled on the table.

Red faced, Kasumi froze in shock as Yuka and Sayuri gasped and her father paled.

"Way to go Doctor Tofu," Akio said.

With painful slowness, Kasumi turned to her date standing beside her.

Tofu kept staring between his date, the condoms, and his date's father. His face turned from one to the next with a slow deliberate action and almost clock like precision, over and over.

"Hey Doc, what's up?" Ranma asked as he led a smiling Akane from the dance floor.

"Ranma?" Tofu said with a jittery voice, as if surprised to see him, "Oh yes, the dance!"

Grabbing Ranma's arms the doctor sped out onto the dance floor, and started swinging his male partner around in a dangerous waltz. Kasumi scrambled to grab up the condoms before anyone else saw them, her eyes looking lamentably at her date erratically dancing with the reluctant younger Ranma.

Turning back, her eyes met her father's before she looked down at her purse. She couldn't even begin to think of how to explain how she never put these condoms in her bag. Her eyes narrowed as she realized they were the condoms she had found in Ranma's pack last week.

A pink cheeked Nodoka walked over with a slight wobble and smiled. "It's best that you remembered such dear. I'm afraid Tofu is so nervous he'd forget."

Paling at Aunty believing she had brought the condoms, Kasumi was frozen still trying to find words to explain when she heard a snorted giggle. Kasumi turned on Akane with a glare.

Sheepishly, Akane kept her mouth covered, "It was a joke. I didn't think you'd pour them out of your purse. I just wanted to get you back for going on about Ranma's and my engagement."

Not laughing, Kasumi pointed at her date dancing with Akane's fiancé. "I spent months on him Akane. He was just starting to relax!" she said angrily, poking Akane in the forehead with her finger.

Turning, Kasumi took up her purse and stepped out onto the dance floor.

Still struggling to get free of the crazy acting doctor, Ranma was suddenly surprised to find himself dumped on the floor. Stuck mid dance pose, Tofu was being dragged out by his ear in Kasumi's finger grip.

Akane grabbed Ranma's hand and led him back to dancing.

* * *

Dancing with Akari, Ryoga had his eyes over her shoulder to spy on Ranma and Akane as they also danced. Akane was still red faced after whatever had just transpired between her and her sister and Doctor Tofu.

Turning with Akari while swaying to the music, Ryoga was too busy regretting it wasn't Akane to actually enjoy himself. He watched as Akane danced with Ranma steadily across the lightly filled dance floor of the dressed up school hall towards the little Santa set. The photographer there invited them to have a seat but Akane waved him off, dragging Ranma directly into the dark mock cave.

"Uh, want to go in Santa's cave?" Ryoga asked urgently.

Akari blushed at the implication of her blind date becoming so forward suddenly, but found herself being dragged across the dance floor before she could weakly argue the point.

Like Akane and Ranma before, Ryoga waved off the photographer and vanished into the dark.

Akari held onto Ryoga's arm as they entered the dark. Licking her lips, Akari waited for him to make a move.

Finally he did. Ryoga turned away from her.

With a gulp of breath, Ryoga grabbed Akane from Ranma. Pulling her to him, Ryoga pressed his lips on hers. She tried to push him off, but the words of Mikado Sanzenin reverberated in his memory, Ryoga holding her firmly and deepening the kiss till she wilted in his arms, returning the kiss.

Stumbling in the dark, Akari moved sideways, hoping to find Ryoga by silhouette against the light at the end of the tunnel. She did, and her blind date was kissing another girl.

Akari saw red, and shoved the kissing pair hard enough to send both stumbling into the light still kissing.

A few gasps came out as students around the converted hall stopped talking or some few dancing to look at the public display of affection.

Blinking against the light, Kaori Kumayama's eyes widened drastically recognizing the man kissing her. Her strength returned as she shoved him off her. "Ryoga!"

"Kaori?" Ryoga shouted back in shock. Before the pair could say more Ryoga was shoved back.

"You lecherous pervert. I thought you were a good man. A hero. Generous. But you're not. You're just some rutting boy."

"Gross," said Kaori, scrapping her tongue with her fingernails.

"I swear I didn't even know Kaori went to this school. I was..." Ryoga defended weakly.

"That's even worse! You just randomly grabbed a woman like some pervert in the dark!" Akari accused with another shove.

"It wasn't perverted! I didn't want to kiss her," Ryoga proffered.

Shaking her head, Kaori kept wiping at her lips. "I was grabbed in the dark. I have a boyfriend. He kissed me. Gross."

Akari looked disgustedly at both. "You sure didn't let him go fast! You're nearly as bad as him!"

"He kissed me," Kaori defended again. "He's my cousin!"

Freezing, Akari looked even more horrified at Ryoga.

A light laugh drew attention from the arguing group, reminding them of those around them, especially the pink faced woman in the kimono. Nodoka walked forward confidently, shaking her head. "Ryoga Hibiki, only you could finally catch a girl who actually likes you back as desperately as Akari-chan does, and then blow it with your poor sense of direction grabbing the wrong girl."

Swallowing, realizing that all these strangers thought she was in love with her blind date, Akari ran for the door.

Ryoga, still a little grossed out, watched her go, feeling like a heel. He was suddenly aware he had been so focused on Akane he had missed the obvious.

A slap to the back of the head made the young man stumble forward. Nodoka shook her hand from the sting of hitting the thickheaded child. "If she gets out of sight, you'll never find her again," she warned.

Ryoga looked at the woman he was so used to glaring at him, gave a single nod, turned and ran for the door. He tripped after one step.

Looking up, Ryoga felt Nodoka lift him physically, turn him the other way and toss him through the crowd at the correct door.

* * *

"Where are we Akane?"

Smiling impishly at her date, Akane pulled Ranma along. Taking a side door behind a curtain from the mock Santa's cave, she led the way to escape the embarrassing scene around the backfired prank. Opening an outside door, the pair stepped out into the cool winter night air.

"We're outside. It was a bit embarrassing in there."

"Okay. Are we gonna go after Kasumi and the Doc?"

Giving Ranma vexing look, Akane shook her head, "No, they have to work that out themselves. It wasn't that bad really. She just got flustered."

A quiet moment passed between the two as they walked towards the school gate. Akane still held Ranma's hand firmly with hers. Glancing up at her date, Akane giggled. "I loved your dancing."

"You wanted to go to this silly dance, so I did it for you. But you owe me for makin' me look like a fool."

"I'll do anything you ask, Ranma," she flirted breathlessly. Her eyes becoming serious. "Anything."

Taking a deep breath to control his hormones, Ranma let go of her hand before he broke his promise about intimacy. "Tease."

Akane giggled before grabbing his hand and pulling him back to face her. "Ranma I mean it. Not just about the naughty stuff, but anything. You got me that clock and all I got you were these silly bracelets. You worked on that dance... I want to do things that make you happy like you make me."

With a casual shrug, Ranma licked his lips. "You make me happy just fine."

Pulling his arm to keep him against her side, Akane smiled.

Slipping off his jacket, Ranma put it around Akane's shoulders as the two walked the slow way home.

* * *

Smiling and shaking her head, Nodoka looked around the various students looking at her after tossing the Hibiki boy across the room.

"Please continue dancing," she said, slightly more pink cheeked by their focus, and started walking back towards the table where Soun sat talking to her husband from between Hinako and Shika.

She got half way there before she realized that few couples actually returned to dancing. Her eyes swept disappointedly over the boys and girls around the edges of the room, then focused on Hiroshi and Michiko.

"This," she said loudly and clearly, pointing at the pair, "is a young couple having fun. This is how you all should be acting!"

Now the center of attention for confused students, even the other chaperons were looking at Nodoka as she addressed everyone. "This young man has a pretty girl because he asked her to dance with him. You are all young adults it is time to grow up. Boys, girls like men with the confidence to show an interest in them. If you can't show a spine just to ask for a single dance, do you think you look like a man? A simple dance can show her so much of you. It shows you can be fun. You can be exciting. You can move your body like a lov..."

"Mrs. Saotome!" Hinako Ninomiya shouted. She furiously stood up as her invited chaperon led into subjects that would get her yelled at by the PTA.

"Oh you shut up!" Nodoka said turning on the voluptuous teacher. "You keep throwing yourself at that train wreck of man. No consideration for his late wife. You use your body to fight a tug of war with Miss 'Second run down the aisle' without realizing you have to win his heart. It is about him, not your rival. You're both no better than those girls after my son."

"Now Nodoka-san," Soun began standing up to defend the shocked Hinako and Shika, only to become the target of the woman next.

"Don't try me, Soun-kun. You let your daughter get harassed by immature idiots like that Kuno boy and your vile old master. You should be strong for her and her sisters. Instead you wallow in your loss and mooch off the attentions of these two to sate your ego" Shaking her head, she snatched a cup from the table and without thinking pulled the near empty bottle out of her sleeve to pour another drink for herself. "Just grow a set and take the one you want home. Even my son worked th..."

"I got that bottle for Soun for Christmas," Shika accused.

Leaving her bowl with the fighting fish, Hinako moved around the table to the older woman. "Mrs. Saotome, leave the school grounds immediately."

Nodoka smiled prettily. "Or what?"

Swallowing, Genma stood and approached from the other side of the table. Nodoka always did get a little belligerent with some drink in her. Just like their wedding night, he recalled with a wincing smile. Combined with that infernal magic dogi she wore under her kimono who knew what damage she could cause... or how vulnerable she might be.

"No-chan. Perhaps it is best if we head home."

Spinning on her heel, Nodoka looked at her husband. "You. You who left me alone for twelve years. You took my son, and left me alone. Now where is he? He's not here. Somewhere off with Akane-chan. He was mine for so little and now he's going to be hers. Last year you sold him to be some store to work, and what happen? He got arrested! Now another Christmas without my son!"

"No-chan, calm down. I'm sure the boy and Soun's girl are already back at home. Let's go back and find out."

Glaring at her husband, Nodoka then turned and glared at Hinako, "Your lucky day."

Taking his wife by the shoulder, Genma started to walk them out. As he did, his hand inched down her back to her behind, casually patting her, slyly testing the dogi's defenses.

In a flash Genma was thrown out the doors, shattering them and letting in the cold winter air. Nodoka ran after him.

"The suit! For once you act nice but it is only to get me out of the suit! You think you can beat the suit! I'll give you the suit you old fool!"

Silence reigned for a long moment before many students in the hall made for the other doors with a growing murmur of words among them.

* * *

"Akari-san, wait."

Ryoga's call made Akari's feet falter, nearly tripping herself as she slowed from running to look back in surprise through crying eyes. Recalling that this was the boy who humiliated and embarrassed her, she turned away and started walking again.

"I'm sorry."

Despite herself, Akari looked back at the boy running towards her. "Why? It was just some stupid blind date," she spat angrily.

Slowing, he stood before her awkwardly. "I got so worked up that I didn't think. I really was a pig."

With a sumo shove, the crying girl pushed him back and nearly over as he struggle to stay standing. "You are no pig. You might turn into a piglet, but you are scum."

Her hips twisted to turn herself away, but stopped as she watched as him fall on his behind.

Her word had impacted Ryoga harder than her shove ever could have. "You're right. Everything I do, I never do it right. The world is such a dark place," he murmured as he started to glow a sickly orange.

"You saved that child. Didn't even ask to be thanked. Akane said Ranma thought you were honorable when it mattered. Why can you be so much like a..."

"That is easy stuff. You see it, you do it," he interrupted. His voice was still down but his aura flickered and failed. "Everything I want, I... it never goes right."

Crouching in front of him, Akari used one small and lightly calloused hand to raise Ryoga's chin. "So what do you want?"

"I don't know." Unable to look away from her brown eyes and the runs in her makeup from tears, he swallowed. "I don't want you to be upset because I was an idiot."

"I..." Akari started then shook her head with a light smile. "How about you start by walking me back to the Tendo dojo?"

Nodding, Ryoga quickly got to his feat and offered her his hand, only to wince and pull it back as too forward. Instead he pointed down the road. "This way."

"Ryoga-kun," Akari said, pointing the other way before taking his hand with hers.

* * *

"... and so Saotome was stuck in school in girl's bloomers before the whole class."

Laughing at a story of humiliation of Saotome that Jiro told her, Nabiki squeezed her date's hand as they rode on the double-decker Omni-bus that toured most easily through the surprising crowds of couples still in the Tokyo Disneyland park.

Jiro pointed ahead to a kiosk and tables, "Would you like a drink or something hot?"

Catching herself before frowning in disgust for the costs these places gouged inside the monopoly of the Park's walls, Nabiki nodded and let Jiro lead the way off the Omni-bus at its next stop.

Stepping off the bus just in front of an actor in a large 'Minnie Mouse' costume, Nabiki let Jiro lead them towards the kiosk through the crowds. They were lucky to find a table right near the kiosk being abandoned as they arrived. "Take the table and I'll get us something? Any personal favorite? Cotton Candy?"

Impressed as Jiro guessed or showed he had found out a personal favorite, Nabiki shook her head and smiled. "Surprise me."

Smirking as she watched Jiro turn away from her and join the short queue for the kiosk, she cast her eyes amused over the many couples. All were standing close together but with limited public displays of affection, not one couple doing more than hold hands. Her eyes locked on the big round ears of Minnie Mouse as the large headed costumed actor moved around inside the kiosk. She could only imagine how the overblown head and bodysuit that would have been uncomfortable. Swelteringly hot in the summer and no doubt all but attacked by children in the daytime, she guessed on a cool Christmas eve in a park filled with adolescent and twenty something couples too focused on themselves, it was likely warmer than Nabiki's denim.

She did find the little red skirt a little cute on the giant mouse person the costume made the character out to be, but it would never go with her jeans.

After a few minutes, Jiro finally returned and to Nabiki's surprise had Minnie Mouse at his side helpfully carrying a tray with two cups of soda. Getting her attention, Jiro handed his date a corn dog, immediately smirking at Nabiki's raised eyebrow at such obvious innuendo. Taking her stick from him, Nabiki watched as Minnie Mouse put down the drink tray which held two types of dips, a creamy Japanese mayonnaise and a blackish tar she couldn't identify.

"Super hot Dismey special sauce, please enjoy," Minnie said with a giggle and a bow.

The couple bowed their heads as a 'Thank you,' and Minnie Mouse replied similarly before heading back to the kiosk.

"She must be bored tonight. Offering to carry our drinks would hardly be part of normal mascot duties," Jiro stated.

Nabiki nodded, distrustful eyes on Minnie Mouse till the costumed figure left the kiosk seating area.  
"Though the drink came free with this super hot sauce."

Nabiki looked back to her date as he dipped the tip of his corn dog in the blackish tar sauce.

"You like things hot?" Nabiki drawled, dipping her own battered sausage on a stick in the mayonnaise and brought it up to her red glossed lips. She kept her eyes on his, enjoying his smirk, encouraging her to gently dab her tongue on the end as she wrapped her lips around the end, before biting the tip off.

Shaking his head, Jiro chuckled, "I like things that may get me burned."

Smiling, Nabiki watched him bite his own dog before his face paled then went bright red.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!" the now sweating boy cried and in one swift move Jiro snatched up the paper cup of his soda to suck on the straw. Immediately he gagged and swallowed the liquid.

"Ug, there was something in that."

"Hehehehe."

The laughter of Minnie Mouse drew the attention of the pair and many others at the kiosk.

"Not worry, was just noodle in straw," Minnie said in a singsong voice, holding up a thin packet with Chinese writing on it. "'On Earth as is in Heaven noodle'. Teach Coward not to play game with Amazons."

A sudden grumble from Jiro's stomach made the young man's eyes open wide in terror. Mentally he recalled the eating contest against Saotome, Hibiki and Mousse he had participated in long ago. They had all gorged themselves over a mystical noodle that purportedly gave one the strength of one hundred men. Between backstabbing, bribes, and bowl after bowl of foul cold summer noodles, Saotome had finally eaten the mystical Chinese noodle. Then all had watched in surprise as his digestive track, and only his digestive track, gained the strength of one hundred men, forcing him to eat more and more of the Amazon's disgusting noodles.

With sudden clarity, Jiro now knew the hunger that Saotome felt. Taking his corndog whole in his mouth, he pulled out only the stick out, and then snatched Nabiki's and gobbled it down.

Pulling off the Minnie Mouse head, Shampoo shook out her beautiful long hair, smiling. "Power of a hundred man in gut. Too too enjoy meal."

Darting to the next table, Jiro stole handfuls of hot fries, and half a hamburger, wolfing them down to sate his unending hunger.

Shampoo slapped a photo down on the table. Nabiki's eyes widening seeing the image of her sister and 'Ecchi-Baka Taro' kissing.

"Tell Coward he no trick Amazons. Boy Shorts girl engaged to Monster boy..." Shampoo's head tilted as she looked at the Japanese girl in recognition, "Shampoo know you?"

"Nope," Nabiki replied, knowing it was considerably safer than saying 'Yes, my sister screwed your husband'.

Turning and striding away while stripping off the costume, Shampoo left Nabiki to pick up the photo. Nabiki wondered how the Amazon reached that conclusion, looking up when Jiro dove over the counter into the kiosk after more food.

"Oi, idiot, that food costs a fortune!" Nabiki cried out to Jiro, even as the boy ate and cried.

Jiro didn't weep at the accumulating costs but thinking of the impending need for a toilet after all this eating.

* * *

Opening the gate to the Tendo property, Ryoga let Akari pass through first then followed her. He let her pull him into the yard by his hand but the pressure was all from her light grip on his fingers.

"Ryoga-kun, I guess this could have been a better blind date, but thank you for not letting it end as the worst."

A half smile moved over Hibiki's face at the smile on hers, but he broke the mood with a light chuckle and a sad shake of his head at some joke in his head.

"What?" Akari asked.

"A friend of mine... He is much better with girls and stuff than me, he's engaged. Well anyway, he once told me how if you get to the end of the date before you kiss the girl you've lost any chance with her. I was just thinking it didn't take me that long."

Akari sighed. "Perhaps Ryoga-kun, part of what makes you make some of the choices you do, is that you are trying to copy what other people do rather than being you? The only chance you had for a real kiss tonight was if I had seen the selfless, brave, and generous Ryoga Hibiki, not the one pretending to be things he isn't."

Smiling lightly as Ryoga considered her words, Akari stood on her toes to kiss him on the cheek.

That was when Ryoga was hit.

* * *

Akane smiled as Ranma opened the rear gate that led directly to the Tendo dojo, after walking home along the quiet back streets together.

Closing it after himself, Ranma smiled to his date as she pulled on his hand to take him around the side between the dojo and high stone wall of the property. Ranma rolled his eyes as Akane's hand had an iron grip on his fingers, dragging him like a pet. Not that he could allow her to do more, no matter how much he wished he could.

A movement in the light ahead near the front gate drew his eyes, seeing Akari and Ryoga talking close. His stopping made Akane look back at him, only to turn ahead when he silently nodded at the other couple.

Gasping lightly, Akane instantly covered Ranma's still silent mouth lest he interrupt the pair. On her face, Akane's smile reaching her ears as she saw the fruits of her matchmaking. Pushing herself against Ranma's side, she was almost jumping with giddiness when their view was blocked by the massive and dark form of the champion sumo-pig, Katsunishiki.

Ranma was about to cry warning when Akane pushed up on his lower jaw to keep him silent as with a snort, Katsunishiki charged.

* * *

Ryoga barely pushed Akari back and clear before the massive animal's head slammed him back and into the old stone wall hard enough to leave cracks.

Unfazed, Ryoga rushed back to protect his date from the animal.

Akari watching surprised, biting her lip at the moment her champion tried to drive off Ryoga like he had done so many other boys. She recalled her promise to her grandfather that she should only date a man who could beat the champion sumo-pig.

"Get away from it Akari!" Ryoga called as he rushed the beast that snorted and rushed back.

At the moment of impact, Ryoga twisted around its head. Grabbing around its thick neck as best he could, he set his feet on the ground. Grunting with effort, Ryoga lifted the pig off the ground to rob it of anything to push against, twisting around with its own momentum to slam it over into the same part of the Tendo wall behind him. The beast snorted once, knocked out cleanly.

Breathing out, Ryoga relaxed his stance as the threat was stopped. This was the type of weird occurrence that happened around the Saotome home in Bokuto, but it was kind of refreshing to have it happen elsewhere. With a frown, Ryoga looked at the arms of his suit jacket, the seams burst when he had flexed when lifting the beast.

"You beat my champion."

At Akari's simple declaration, Ryoga's jaw dropped and his shoulders fell. He was unable to believe he had managed to blow it again with this girl. He turned back to her, "I swear, I..."

Tackled again, this time Ryoga went down on his back as Akari's lips pressed on his.

* * *

Akane smirked at Ranma seeing the other couple kissing on the grass near the unconscious pig. Suppressing the annoyance at not being able to do the same with the young man beside her, Akane pressed her hand to her fiancé's lips and pulled him around the dojo and to the walkway.

Reaching the back door to her home, Akane released Ranma's hand and lips.

With a jubilant smile on her face, Akane took off her left shoe, holding it by the heel as she fist pumped the air in success of her love matching efforts. Taking off her other shoe as Ranma removed his own, Akane shut the door behind them before looking at him more seriously.

"Now Ryoga is a good guy right? Aunty isn't right about him?" Akane asked.

"Bit late for that now isn't it?" Ranma returned, before her glare made him nod. "He isn't cruel, or a pervert. Just an idiot."

"That's a given for a boy," Akane surmised out loud with a smirk, before turning and walking down the hall.

"Hey!" Ranma replied, but was ignored as his date reached the entranceway and bent over to put her shoes on the rack.

"Looks like Tofu is still here," Akane said as she reached up to take his shoes and put them beside hers, noticing the doctor's shoes on the rack near the door.

"Probably having some tea or something."

Nodding idly Akane began walking upstairs, hearing his footsteps behind hers and imagining him looking at her legs.

Reaching the top, she turned to smile at him as he blushed at getting caught staring.

Quickly moving past her, he reached for the guest room door.

With a smile, Akane turned for the hall to her room when a sound from the other direction made her look at Kasumi's closer door.

Creeping near, Akane laid her ear against the door, her eyes going wide as a long moan sang out, "Oh Tofu, there."

Flushing red, Akane turned around, freezing seeing Ranma there. Before he could speak her hand was over his mouth, and she forced him down the corridor and quickly out on the small upstairs balcony.

Fumbling for words, Akane tried the worst segue ever to change the subject.

"See from here the dojo really does look like the glass clock..."

Ranma laughed. "I don't know what's up, but did you really like that clock? Even after Pop's busted it?"

"I liked it a lot more than you liked the bracelets," she accused, giving him a nudge to the hip with hers as she grabbed his arm with hers. Pulling it up, she put their wrists side by side with her presents around each.

"Yeah but I love who they came from," Ranma returned with a counter nudge. "And you can make it up to me in three weeks on my birthday by remembering that offer you made earlier."

Blushing feeling something poking into her side, Akane's winced at the idea of an agonizing three week wait ahead. "Three weeks? I thought Ukyo said the engagement meeting was New Years?"

"Near New Year, on my eighteenth birthday."

"That's over two weeks into January. I don't want to wait that long," Akane complained in a small voice. She hugged onto Ranma's side, feeling him stiffen as his honor fought to not return the affection. She frowned as she felt him poking her again, only the position was wrong to have been him poking her like she thought.

Akane reached into the pocket of Ranma's dark jacket she still wore. She pulled out the small ring box. Biting her bottom lip, Akane pulled open the lid.

Eyes wide on the silver band, Akane didn't see Ranma wince, just his hands close over the box.

Hating her hurt pout as Akane looked at him, Ranma shook his head. "I wish I could, but if I give you this now, the other girls will never give up and go away. The engagement meetin' was to let everyone make their claim. If they know for sure I've chosen you before hand, that nothin' they'll claim is enough to change that, they'll never give up and leave us in peace."

Akane nodded but didn't lose the cute pout. Nor did her fingers release the box as he tried to pull it back. "At least let me look at it some more."

Rolling his eyes, Ranma didn't release the box. Giving a sigh, he opened his mouth to speak when he looked at the red and dark blue braided bracelet on his wrist and smirked.

"Fine with me," Ranma said, his fingers releasing the box to pluck the ring from inside. Unlocking the tiny silver clasp Yuka had used to make the ends, he pulled the bracelet off his wrist and threaded it through the ring, before putting it back on. Stepping behind Akane, he rested his elbows on her shoulders, clasping his hands inches in front of her face is a very loose hug. "Look whenever ya want."

Eyes crossing at the sight of her engagement ring hanging on the bracelet she had given him, Akane elbowed back into his side and broke out of his arms. "You jerk."

"Yeah but I like ya gift a lot more now."

Blocking her punch, he held her wrist, pulling her against him to rob her of the leverage to attack.

Akane blushed, breathing heavy as she was held against him, her eyes looking up into his.

"You are missing out on so much because of that stupid promise Baka."

* * *

Kasumi sighed out again as Tofu's warm hands pushed on her naked back, working muscles that were relaxed. She smiled as his nervousness had calmed down to a simple tapping of his left foot.

Her eyes swept up his body to his face as he massaged her as his Christmas present to her. Licking her dry lips, Kasumi's eyes drifted down him again, checking out his shoulders, chest, and lower body. Blushing, she turned her head away to ignore the surging feelings her baby sister had surrendered to.

"That feels heavenly Tofu."

"M-m-m-merry Christmas, Kasumi-chan."

To be continued

My mojo is still off but does seem on the increase and ML19 is almost ready to begin proofing. The fact this chapter was the biggest yet certainly slowed down proofing it.

On that note, super special thanks for Taechunsa and Doc Emmit Brown for the extra detailed proofing on this chapter.

Hopefully my feeble attempts to have a romantic chapter was entertaining. Next up in a much shorter chapter, Ranma and Akane finally deal with a little problem and a big secret gets exposed.

A certain line from Genma about tattooed women is a shout out to a great Ranma fanfiction author Chris Jones, from his unfinished greatness 'Ranma's Apartment'. Mr Jones, I hope you didn't lose faith in all men and that your own pro writing is going well.

Special note to Mesrure Onal for helping me make Akane's cheer more than 'Rickem rackem racken rotch, kick your foot into his...'

Special thanks to MJ, I loved your music and imagination.

Engagement rings aren't normally silver because it tarnishes easy. Genma is cheap.

Michiko is a younger version of the Martial Arts Body Artist of the same name in the story, 'The Ring' by Doc Emmit Brown. Worth a read for those of you over 18. Unfortunately Michiko and Arisu will be only background characters from here on and probably won't even get anymore lines.

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Taechunsa, Doc Emmit Brown, Hpackrat, Lawrence and from the past Muishiki, Cupid's Bride, Angela Jewel, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Thanks again for reading, please review all you read. The vocal minority gets what it wants, aren't you a minority? You would be if you took a minute to review.

To fanfiction dot net, please stop taking my scene breaks out and answer your email support questions.

Trent O'Donoghue


	19. Chapter 19

ML19

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter is all his work.

Last Updated: 11/06/10

Akane pulled her sock up, her eyes admiring the red and dark blue bracelet on her wrist as she worked. Her thoughts went fondly to the silver ring threaded through the similar band around her fiancé's wrist last night. Slipping on her house slippers, she idly wondered if Ranma had gone to sleep still wearing the ring on his wrist or took it off.f

A knocking on her door as she stood made her turn as Nabiki looked in from the hall.

"Merry Christmas, Sis," Nabiki said before tossing a colorfully wrapped gift to Akane.

Akane shook the box hearing an odd, light rattling. "Thanks, there is a little thing for you down under the tree."

"You want to open it now," Nabiki informed her. "That's one you'd rather open alone. Though I noticed most of the presents under the tree weren't opened when I got back late last night."

Giving her sister a wary look, Akane nodded slowly then cautiously started to open the wrapping. "Yeah, everyone kind of split up at the dance. Then when Aunty got home last out of all of us she went straight to bed. As it was it a while to pry Akari off Ryoga."

Closing the door behind her, Nabiki stepped in. "Well aren't you the master matchmaker?"

Akane gave an impish grin. "They left together after some breakfast. Akari took Ryoga to see her farm." The paper in her hands fell open to show six boxes of medication, printed on all sides in English.

Nabiki smirked at her sister's confused face. "You should get a prescription before you start on them. But they're a generic brand and that's a six month supply."

Suddenly Akane went red and glared at her sister. Her glare faltered at the knowing look Nabiki returned but Akane's embarrassment remained. "Sis, you've risked making me a nineteen year old aunt once, now go talk to a doctor to see if you could have complications, and start taking the pill before you 'get back on the horse'. This way you won't forget protection, and trust me when I tell you I paid less for a year's supply than a teenage boy will want to go through in condoms."

Still blushing, Akane had difficulty meeting her sister's eyes and gave a single nod of agreement. Akane's eyes came up curiously. "A year's supply? You said this was only six months?"

Kasumi's angry voice rang out from down the hall, "Nabiki!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes to cover up a flinch. "Do you realize how weird it is for me that because of your indiscretion, it is safer to be in the same room as you opening that present than being around Kasumi?" Even as Nabiki spoke, she stepped back to be behind Akane's door when it suddenly swung open.

Angry eyes looked past Akane as Kasumi sought her other sibling. The eldest sister's eyes locked on the parcel in Akane's hands, identical to the other left in her bedroom.

"You too! Nabiki is as bad as you are! I suppose you think it's a funny gift as well? Like your little joke last night."

Akane flushed, reminded of her prank with the condoms left in Kasumi's purse. She continued blushing recalling the intimate sounds she heard her sister making while alone in her room with the good Doctor Tofu.

Biting her lower lip, Akane bowed her head at her glaring sister, but before the youngest Tendo daughter could speak Kasumi swung around and slammed the door shut again, glaring at the revealed Nabiki.

"Merry Christmas, Sis," Nabiki drawled confidently, as if she hadn't just been caught hiding behind a door from her angry sister. "Would you prefer next year I have you open contraceptives in front of everyone downstairs?"

Akane mouthed 'no' as she desperately waved her hands in warning from behind Kasumi.

For a brief instant, Nabiki thought Kasumi might hit her as the older girl shook in impotent anger, when a loud commotion came from the hall. Two voices shouted over the sounds of violence.

"Haha, busted! Thinking of a little gay fantasy were you!"

Akane opened her door before either of her sisters even reached for the handle, stepping out first into the hall seeing Happosai backing up towards them from an angry, red-faced Ranma. Dressed in boxers but holding a pillow in front of his waist, Ranma froze seeing Akane and her sisters ahead.

"What is going on?" Akane demanded.

Still laughing, Happosai darted behind the girls to be clear of Ranma. "Your little boy fiancé was assaulting his weapon, doing a thousand rubs, working the five maidservants."

Ignoring Ranma's wincing, Akane looked confused at Happosai. "What?"

"Having a staff meeting! Shaking hands with the unemployed!" Happi said between laughter as Ranma backed away from a glaring Kasumi and ignorant Akane.

Nabiki tried not to laugh, "Akane, Ranma was scratching his pole."

When Akane looked confused Nabiki continued. "Manhandling. The M. Whacking off."

Finally getting it, Akane flushed and turned back to Ranma only to find Kasumi in front of her, one hand blocking her path as the other pointed at Ranma. "Ranma, please go back to the guest room. Alone. Akane, please come with me to the kitchen."

With a final glare for Happosai, Ranma withdrew, deeply embarrassed. Akane swallowed as she was herded past the guest room door and down the stairs.

A moment later, Kasumi returned just as Nabiki reached to knock on the guest room door. Grabbing her younger sister by the arm, she dragged her down the stairs, ignoring her protests.

* * *

Ranma separated from Akane with a nervous wave as they ran through the school gate.

After not being able to find his father to beat up in the name of training to at least hide from the girls of the house. Not that he could hide over the very awkward breakfast with some snide comments coming from Nabiki and dark looks from Kasumi. Finally, the embarrassed martial artist and his fiancée fled the house and ran at a near sprint to the school.

Cracking his knuckles, Ranma ran into Love Dome. Ignoring the short queue of challengers, his eyes glanced at the current fight where Yuka was surrendering to one of the boys from the school soccer team, and stepped up to the small desk where one of the senior girls had a list of who was challenging who.

"Hey, so who is in the queue after my sister Ranko or Akane?"

The brown haired girl looked up with a sigh, "No challenges for Ranko Saotome or Akane Tendo."

"Huh?" Ranma replied scratching his head. He had gotten used to having a few challengers try their luck for a date with his sister of fiancée.

The girl sighed again. "I can tell you that a couple students have asked for a ruling as per page six, paragraph three of the Love Dome rules. Those rules cover any appeals for the challenged party to be on hand to declare his or her champion rather than allow currently registered date or previously nominated champion to automatically volunteer. So perhaps you should ask either girl if they have been challenged with a request for you not to be the champion."

Ranma looked dumbly at the senior girl for a moment before he put on his most charming smile. "Come on, you don't need to bother them do you? They gave me permission already."

Blushing, the girl now no longer looking bored, shifted her head as if wavering on the idea when she remembered the cute boy before her was engaged. "No."

* * *

Akane slumped red-faced on her desk before the grinning Sayuri.

"It was all we could do not to laugh when she stood up to Ms Hinako. Ranma's mother was just so drunk but still scary strong."

Hearing what she had missed from last night's dance after she had slipped out with Ranma made her groan. It did explain why Aunty had gone straight to bed when she had gotten home last last night, but it painted the odd looks she had getting all morning at school in an embarrassing light. Akane smiled despite herself recalling her time with Ranma and her successful matchmaking between Akari and Ryoga last night that had kept her distracted of the older woman's condition. "Is that all she did? Get drunk, throw Ryoga after Akari, and bully Ms Hinako?"

"Oh no, she threw Ranma's father out the door when he tried to take her home. She was screaming at him for getting Ranma arrested last Christmas."

Akane tapped her forehead on the desk. She wondered if the rumor mill was going to spread this stuff around when the last of what Sayuri said brought her head up. "Wait, Ranma was arrested?"

"Not sure," Sayuri said with a shrug. "Just that he was arrested last Christmas. I was hoping you'd tell me. I heard someone claim the Saotome's are Yakuza."

Shaking her head, Akane groaned. "They aren't Yakuza. But I'll have to ask Ranma about whatever happened last Christmas."

Sayuri was about to reply when she saw a figure enter their classroom and start walking over to Akane. Glancing where Sayuri was looking, Akane sat up as a senior, one who had challenged her in the past, approached.

With a curt bow, the senior laid a white rose on Akane's desk.

"Tendo-san, as Saotome has been exposed as being a criminal, I was wondering if you'd like me to challenge you in Love Dome? If I won against you, you and that Yakuza would be broken up before it could reflect on you."

* * *

Ranma ran into the school classroom just in time to see his pretty fiancée holding down a male student with an arm lock and threatening him with bodily harm.

"He has a criminal record and avoids everyone to go off in a corner when getting changed. He is obviously hiding his tattoos!"

Akane looked up, her hand still idly pressing the struggling young man down as he gave his evidence, and smiled past her anger at her fiancé.

"Ranma, this jerk says you're a criminal. That you were arrested because you're Yakuza."

The glare on Ranma's face made the young man wilt more than Akane's arm lock. "It's what I heard," he offered with a wavering voice.

"Last night after you and Akane left the dance your mother said some stuff to the school. Like that you were arrested last Christmas." Sayuri explained, fishing for more details.

"Huh, that? I was arrested and held 'cause I stopped a robbery but didn't have ID to prove I was me and not with them."

Sayuri nodded, unimpressed with the truth to what she had been building up in her imagination. "And you don't hide from the other boys in the changing room to hide your 'ink'?"

"Ranma doesn't have any tattoos anywhere on his body." Akane stated firmly. Lifting the boy off her desk, she released his arm only to grab onto the front of his shirt. "If anyone else tells you he is a criminal, tell them he isn't. Got it?"

Nodding franticly the senior ran off the second Akane released him.

The arrival of Ms Hinako and the ringing of the school warning bell cut off further conversation. Ranma headed for his seat, stumbling into a desk when distracted by the glare the home room teacher was giving him. Sayuri followed suit, walking past Akane close enough to whisper to her, "How do you know he hasn't got any tattoos anywhere on his body?"

Face flaming, Akane sat quickly trying to think of some way to answer that without inviting more questions from her friend. She knew Sayuri wasn't going to drop that line of questioning.

* * *

"Be apologetic. Be polite. Don't blame it on Ranma. Be apologetic. Be polite Don't blame it on Ranma."

Adjusting his spotted bandanna, Ryoga Hibiki chanted the mantra as Jiro had instructed him. After failing to enlighten his beloved Ukyo to Saotome's philandering ways yesterday morning, though he certainly felt he was making progress with making Ukyo like him, Jiro Ohata was again pushing him to tell one of Saotome's fiancées of her betrothed's location and his indiscretion.

Approaching Ukyo had been nerve wracking because her words rejecting him were never pleasant. At least Sakura just wanted to kill him the last time they met. Ever since that time he had ruined her date with Ranma and accidentally walked in on her in the bath she had been unreasonable.

Checking his appearance in the mirror on the back of the elevator, Ryoga steeled himself for facing the woman who lived in the penthouse of the Tokyo skyscraper.

The second the door opened, Ryoga saw that eight young men in black and gold tracksuits were arranged flanking the elevator doors in two rows. Though none held weapons, and Ryoga was pretty sure he could take Sakura's 'Delivery Boys', they were probably going to try and grapple him down should Sakura want such.

Entering through gilded doors, an older man in a suit walked out and bowed to Ryoga. "Mistress Shishimi will see you now."

Led into what appeared to be a tasteful dining hall, Ryoga couldn't help but gawk at the view of the city of Tokyo presented by the windows that made up one wall of the room.

Followed by the Delivery Boys, Ryoga had over a minute to admire the view before doors at the other end of the room opened. Wearing a black and gold leotard, the buxom Sakura Shishimi walked in, a towel in her hand wiping perspiration from her face.

"Ryoga Hibiki. Have you forgotten so easily how you wronged me? The only reason my boys haven't already taken you to the roof and tossed you off it is because you claim you have something to make up for humiliating me."

Swallowing, Ryoga bowed to the young woman. "I just thought you'd want to know where Ranma is and why he has another fiancée."

Sakura frowned. "My dear, future mother-in-law already explained Ranma is staying with another fiancée that fat fraud of a husband arranged in the past."

Licking his lips, Ryoga winced not sure how to explain it more tactfully. "Ranma is living in Nerima with Akane Tendo, who is also fiancée because his mother caught them in bed together." He held out a note on which Jiro had written the address of the Tendo dojo.

Stepping forward, Sakura snatched the note from his hand and glared at him suspiciously. Finally, she smiled.

"Thank you, Ryoga-kun. Do you like the view?"

Giving a sigh of relief, Ryoga nodded and glanced to the window before pain blossomed from his body. With fast pokes of a chopstick, Sakura stabbed several pressure points on the young man.

Pain and weakness blossomed in the martial artist, slowing him as the nearest two of Sakura's Delivery Boys grabbed him, allowing Sakura to prod him again and again.

Heaving his muscles, Ryoga lifted both opponents up and was about to throw them out the window. His eyes widened and his arms halted as he recalled the dizzying elevation they were at, but this hesitation cost him as Sakura struck again and the rest of the Delivery Boys grabbed onto him.

Finally subdued, paralyzed and still in pain, Ryoga was lowered to the ground twitching. Unable to even speak Ryoga could only stare at the baleful glare in Sakura's eyes.

"Boys, start by taking his pants."

* * *

Sitting down in the school gym, Ranma was just glad to be out of class.

Dropping down beside him, Hiroshi and Daisuke looked at him with a mixture of amusement and sympathy.

"Aw man, that was brutal. She is so pissed with your mother that she's taking it out on you," Hiroshi stated.

"Yeah, the way she kept asking you every question on those equations. I couldn't even answer them," Daisuke added. "Then when you got that one right and she demanded you explain your work, and you told her she just taught you how to do those sums. Talk about living dangerously."

Hiroshi grinned. "When she told you to go out in the hall with buckets and you had that look in your eye like your mother had last night. Michiko claimed that made her night even more than our big dance."

Having received the full rundown on what his mother had done after he and Akane had left, Ranma frowned wondering how many stories about his mother and family were floating around like the yakuza rumor. He'd hoped that after Bokuto high he wouldn't have to be on about this stuff anymore.

Daisuke looked at Hiroshi. "So if it went so well, what's with the fat lip?"

Reminded of the cut, Hiroshi touched his fingers to his lips. But when he spoke the smugness was rampant. "Yeah, it isn't a fat lip it's just cut. We stopped near home and made out some."

Leaning in, he smugly made a groping motion with his fingers. "Got to B."

It took a moment for Ranma to recall from his boy's school days about the letters representing how far a guy got with a girl. A for kiss, B for breast... "And that's when she cut your lip?" Ranma asked.

With a sheepish smile, Hiroshi shrugged. "This I tore on one of her earrings. I'll have to be more careful with her piercings next time." Again his smugness returned as he gestured to his chest before sharing a 'high five' with Daisuke.

Ranma shook his head at their antics and looked at Daisuke. "So what happened with your date?"

"I have no idea," Daisuke said with pink cheeks. "After she tried to stab me with that tanto she had hidden in her kimono, she wanted to go home. I was expecting her to rip into me when we got there but then she leaned up and kissed me on the cheek. She said she enjoyed the night and would tell her mother we should have another date. I don't know if I should be scared or happy."

Ranma frowned and shrugged. "I'd take it as a sign that she liked you. Just she wasn't ready for you ta grope her so soon."

Nodding to his new friend and instructor in women's hearts, Daisuke smirked and relaxed some.

For his part, Ranma was wondering what was taking Akane and her friends so long going to the bathroom on the way to assembly.

* * *

"Spill," Sayuri insisted to her cornered and blushing friend. "How much have you and Ranma done?"

Yuka nodded. "Remember that Ranma said he had the promise for not being intimate with his fiancées that you changed to all girls."

"And this morning you said you knew Ranma didn't have any tattoos, anywhere on his body," Sayuri added.

"It was nothing," Akane tried to explain. "We had a few accidents in the bath and at the hot springs."

Frowning, Yuka's mood shifted. "He spied on you?"

"No! Ranma's a gentleman," Akane defended. "They really were accidents, or situations that just looked bad."

Reading the tug at Akane's lips, Sayuri looked penetratingly at her long time friend. "Akane, you know we can keep a secret and we know you are dying to spill the beans. Your face is so red! So tell, what have you two done?"

Wincing, in part at being caught and in part at the way her body reacted recalling the training trip, Akane held up her hands as she looked around the empty girl's changing room to make sure they were alone. "Okay. I will tell you but you can't tell anyone, and I am not giving you details here at school."

"Come on then. How far did that fiancé of yours change you from being the pervert hater?" Yuka joked.

Red-faced, Akane winced again, before closing her eyes. When she opened them again her mouth couldn't help but smile. "We made love."

Sayuri fell on her behind as Yuka shrieked with laughter.

* * *

Among the last to reach the gym hall, Akane barely led Yuka and Sayuri to sit near Ranma and the boys before all the other students had sat down.

Ranma would have asked her if she was okay as she tried in vain to contain her blushing face, but the curtain opened and on the stage Principal Kuno emerged. Dressed in a bright floral shirt, Bermuda shorts, dark sunglasses and with a small coconut tree sticking up behind his head, the eldest and craziest Kuno grabbed the microphone off the stand.

"Ah, good morning ma students! Have un been good year for all ma wahinis and bruddas. Me be hav' un good news for you. Mr Saotome, please come up here."

Glancing nervously to Akane at being singled out, Ranma ignored the collective looks of the student body as he stood and walked up to the stage area.

"Done last night, this here good brudda enforced the law on my own boy," Principal Kuno said with tears in his eyes. Clicking a remote, the school administrator activated a projector, displaying two image side by side, both of Tatewaki Kuno. In the first the school senior wore his Kendo uniform with the label 'before' and the second labeled 'after' he was shaved bald in a disheveled uniform.

"For dis here duty, I appointing you to brand new school position," the strange older man said. Opening a small box, he pulled out a sash to hang around Ranma like a beauty queen. In bold gold letters it spelled out in English, "Hair Cut Monitor."

The Principal pushed a pair of electric clippers into Ranma's hand.

"Ranma Saotome be new school Haircut Monitor!" the principal announced into the microphone. "He been in charge of checking everyone hair cut and when I not available, he be shaving the head of bad boys and girls who break rules."

Bewildered, Ranma wondered what he had just gotten stuck with as most of the students looked at him warily.

* * *

Flipping over lunchtime okonomiyaki, Ukyo kept a hospitable smile on her face as she listened to a group of giggling girls sharing the cute mini-okonomiyaki platter special.

The try-hard cuties from one of the local private schools talked and gossiped, praising each other's choice of accessories or for past social successes. That is until a pair would go to the bathroom and the remainders would waspishly criticize the departed behind their back.

Ukyo and Junko were still working out the best nickname for them. So far she was pushing 'Snake sisters', while Junko suggested 'future divorcees'.

All of the girls looked up as another of them entered the restaurant, the girls all gaving a cheerful greeting to their 'queen', a pretty girl Ukyo had run afoul of previously called Asuza Shiratori. Asuza sat among her friends, ignoring Ukyo to give her order to Konatsu for mini-okonomiyaki with extra cute.

Shiratori had moved to the area a year ago, and had crossed Ukyo by hitting on Ranma trying to make him join her in pairs ice skating. After a brief fight between the chef and skater that Ukyo won, Asuza still came into her shop, she just never acknowledged Ukyo herself.

Preparing the order, Ukyo glanced up as her shop curtain opened again, this time a deliveryman wheeling in a large crate. "Special delivery," he announced.

"Deliveries around the back in future please," Ukyo said testily.

The man in the delivery outfit shrugged, and tipped the crate off his trolley. Without asking for a signature, he smiled and walked out, calling back, "Have a nice day."

"Wait," Ukyo cried. "Who is it from?"

Not getting an answer, she looked to her cross-dressing waiter. "Konatsu-chan, can you drag it out the back for me? See if there is a label on it."

With a jolt, the box tipped forward on its own, hitting the ground with a bang and a whimper of pain.

Jumping her hotplate and bar table, Ukyo quickly used a spatula to pry up the lid and force it open.

She immediately shut the lid at seeing the honey glazed unclothed young man, his arms and legs bound in rope that left nothing to the imagination. He looked up, red-faced with an apple in his mouth.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Ukyo resisted the urge to dump the naked Ryoga out on the road.

"Natsu-chan, grab the other end. Junko, can you go start filling the bathroom tub?"

* * *

Putting an okonomiyaki on a plate, Ukyo handed the meal to Ryoga. "So what did you tell Sakura that made her react like that?"

Rygoa swallowed nervously as he was surrounded by women looking at him. Fortunately, Sakura had left his clothes in a bag in the crate with him and no more than Azusa and Ukyo had seen in the crate when she opened it, but his embarrassment was still obvious.

"Yes, tell us how this happened, Dorathée."

Wincing as the ditzy skater used her former pet name for him, Ryoga looked down rather than face the flare on Ukyo's at being reminded of his piglet act. He mumbled a reply.

"What?" Ukyo asked testily. "Speak up."

"I said that I was told Sakura that Ranma was living with Akane Tendo in Nerima. That she is his new fiancée." Swallowing again at the glare Ukyo was giving him, he blurted out the last of it. "And they're engaged because they had sex."

Ukyo shook her head. "No, that's not true. Nodoka said Akane wasn't a fiancée. And that Ranma would be staying with the family of a fiancée his father engaged him to before he was even born. Did Jiro tell you all this?"

Wincing, Ryoga nodded. "He did, but he seemed pretty sure. He said to say if you doubt it, look Ranma in the eye and ask on his honor."

Azusa tentatively interrupted. "Akane Tendo was the girl who knocked both of us out of the Juuban tournament?" she asked Ukyo, breaking her rule of not acknowledging the chef.

Ukyo nodded, distracted from her glaring at Ryoga and wondering how to dissect him.

Azusa shrugged, "I hadn't thought about it, but weekend after next, my former partner is in a pairs skating match against the team of Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome."

"Where?" Ukyo growled.

* * *

"I still think it's suspicious. Even if they're not Yakuza, his mother's obviously a bit of a ball buster. No wonder he is delinquent enough to get arrested."

A couple of Furinkan students having lunch at the table nodded in agreement with Mikado Sanzenin.

"Upperclassman Sanzenin, have you seen your fiancée's brother since Christmas?"

Nodding at one of his sycophantic friends, Mikado smiled gleaming white teeth. "Of course, the buffoon has been trying to find a wig that matches 'the greatness of the locks he lost'."

Putting down his chopsticks into his lunch bento, Mikado shook his head, causing his own wavy blond hair gracefully swaying with the movement. "But that doesn't excuse that criminal Saotome from..."

-Click-

-Bzzzzzzz-

Furinkan High Haircut Monitor Ranma Saotome smirked at the chilling effect the electric clippers had on the blond young man.

"Hey Goldenboy," Ranma stated before turning off the clippers. "Before we discus if your haircut is up to standard for this school, I'd like to bring up a funny thing about gossiping I noticed. Since no one asked me my side of what happened, I think you all sound like idiots making stuff up. Or you're making stuff up to try and make me look bad."

Letting Mikado turn around, Ranma shrugged. "But who would just decide to make someone else look bad?"

-Click-

-Bzzzzzz-

Mikado cursed himself for flinching as Ranma triggered the clippers again.

"We'll see if you're so tough on ice, Saotome."

"I'll bring these," Ranma said with a grin, waving his clippers.

* * *

Walking home early on the half day Saturday, Ranma was giving suspicious glances to Yuka and Sayuri as they walked with the young couple back to the Tendo Dojo.

"So you still haven't shaved anyone?" Yuka asked as they walked.

Ranma shook his head. "Nah, I didn't like Kuno cutting my hair. But it's great for threatening people who say stuff about my family. If Mikado leers at my b... sister's chest one more time I'd be tempted to give him a buzz cut. Well if Kodachi wouldn't hate me for doing it."

Akane grumbled and Sayuri glanced up, one of the few times since Akane's confession on Tuesday that she had looked at Ranma without going bright red. "Are you that close to that girl?"

Ranma shrugged. "Even if she hadn't helped me rescue Akane, she helped with some other stuff. After the trouble I had with girls trying to be friends to get close to me, having a friend who is engaged to someone else is nice. What's wrong with her?"

Clenching her fists, Akane hissed. "Sayuri is surprised that you are close to a girl I have had so many fights with in the past. Kodachi's been nothing but a pain to me."

"That's how I feel about Happosai but he is nice to you for some reason."

"Ew no," Yuka said, missing Akane glaring at Ranma. "Kodachi and Mikado are far worse than Grandfather. Sure Grandfather is only nice to us because we give him any bras we grow out of, but Kodachi tried to use sleeping gas on our whole class to be able to take out Akane before a gymnastics meet. And Sanzenin is pretty, but he is so arrogant and slimy. He only started dating Kodachi to make Akane jealous when she refused to date him. And do you remember when he put me in a sleeper hold at the beach so he could take my place in putting sunscreen on you Akane?"

Briefly torn between a flash of rage at his future opponents hands on his fiancée's skin and a stray thought of what Akane in a bathing suit looked like, Ranma turned on Akane. "He did what?"

"He earned a trip to the hospital," Akane said red-faced as her body recalled reacting very differently to Ranma's touch than Mikado's.

Sayuri giggled. "Wasn't that when you flogged him with a rubber octopus?"

Relaxing as the girls giggled, Ranma shrugged. "I caught him trying to angle to see up my... my sister's dress when she was fighting in Love Dome. He sat were he would get a flash when she kicked." He complained, briefly smirking at the fact that all he would have seen that day was a glimpse of boxer shorts.

"And it sounds like Kodachi doesn't play fair but she must have kept you sharp, Akane," he added. "But Happosai, man that old..."

Ranma's voice trailed off and he held out his arms to block the girl's path as he spotted two men ahead, loitering near the gate to the Tendo home. His gaze snapped across to Akane as he felt her press into his arm before stopping, his palm full of soft yielding covered flesh.

Both Akane and Ranma glanced down at the connection between them when Ranma felt warm flesh touch his hand on the other side, eyes wide as he snapped his head across to see Yuka, her hand touching his to stop from walking into him. As he gave a sigh, he felt Akane gasp and quickly snatched his groping hand back.

Looking away from his embarrassed fiancée and the shocked looks of her friends, Ranma tried to deflect the attention ahead. "Sorry about that, but look."

The distinctive black and golden themed tracksuits with the Shishimi restaurant logo on the upper chest of the two men at the front gate of her home made Akane groan as she immediately anticipated the arrival of one of Ranma's other fiancées, Sakura Shishimi.

Both men were looking at them as Ranma and the girls approached, only just when Ranma was about to ask what they wanted, a black limousine pulled up before them.

"Ranma, darling. I've missed you so much!" Sakura said as she emerged from the luxury vehicle. She immediately moved for her fiancé only to find Akane in her way.

"So, I guess it is true, you were Nodoka's little ringer brought in to thwart me out of spite. Where is she?"

Ranma held up his hand. "Akane was engaged to me before we were born. Just ask her father. He should be inside with Mom."

Glaring at her fiancé for inviting the blond tramp inside, Akane huffed. Thankful at least that the men apparently hadn't spotted the accidental grope and told the heiress, she gestured to invite her inside. "Your men can stay out here, Sakura."

* * *

Placing her cup of tea on the table, Nodoka looked to Kasumi as the eldest daughter escorted Yuka and Sayuri out to the dojo to entertain them while the matronly woman, her son, and Akane spoke to Sakura. Ranma returned from the front door having closed it behind the fathers, the pair of older men all too happy to accept some spending money and a suggestion that the local sports bar was showing sumo.

"Sakura, now that we are alone, would you like to address why you actually came?"

Smiling, Sakura put down her cup of tea. "Why, I thought it would be obvious. I'm here for my turn."

Nodoka shook her head firmly. "I'm afraid, Sakura, that Ranma's staying here is to give him the chance to get to know Akane further. You have after all, known Ranma for far longer, and there is limited time till the engagement meeting."

The heiress's steely gaze held Nodoka's as Sakura smiled. "I'm afraid you misunderstand, Mother-dear. I am talking about my turn with Ranma. My trial of his performance as a husband."

Ranma blushed and frowned, putting a hand on Akane's arm as the red-faced girl clenched her fists. Nodoka calmly looked at the young blond who sought to be her daughter-in-law.

"I have no idea what made you think there had been any change to the promise my son made regarding intimacy. As it stands, I can't help but look unfavorably on trying to interfere in the tranquility of this home with such a request."

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she smiled. "Let's assume that you are simply ignorant, Mother-dear. Ranma, will you swear on the honor of your family, of your mother, that you have not been intimate with Akane?"

Ranma barely had time to squirm before Nodoka spoke. "I don't know where you heard such, Sakura-chan. But if you want to break off your engagement over this rumor, we will release you from your obligation."

Licking her lips, Sakura kept a grip on her temper. "Part of why I want... my own 'test drive', is to prove that Ranma will be a worthy husband as my fortune has foretold. I am not looking to place any blame over this. I accept that my predestined husband has sowed some wild oats. Despite his condition he is a strong and virile man. I had even expected when we met, Mother-dearest, that you would see the value in letting him play the field, but now I see it was because you couldn't risk him finding out the delights of his chosen one, over the flat-chested muscle freak you personally chose."

"So you've been playing the field too?" Akane spat, her anger manifesting in the near bone crushing pressure of her grip on Ranma's hand.

"Of course not my dear, I have saved myself for my true and destined love. And today and tonight I mean to have..."

Sakura's voice trailed off as her eyes narrowed on the video camera being held just around the corner recording them.

Seeing she had been spotted, Nabiki stepped into the tea room. "Please, continue."

"Nabiki," Nodoka said firmly. "Please give us some privacy."

"I'm afraid not Aunty," Nabiki said back keeping the camera on Sakura. "See if the media gets a whiff that Sakura Shishimi's mysterious fiancé has been cheating on her, then this video will be worth a lot of yen to the tabloids. Throw in Ranma's previous criminal arrest record to spice it up and that could pay really well."

"Nabiki!" Akane complained.

"I know Sis, I can only sell this if Sakura goes around claiming you cheated first. But if she drags you into the mud, then we will get paid for it."

Sakura glared at the girl behind the camera lens, and finally stood to look down at Nodoka. "So you would tie your already damaged family honor to one of sluts and blackmailers. I won't forget this Mother."

Ranma stood quickly, angry at the insult but Sakura's glare held his tongue. "It has been foretold Ranma Saotome. You will be my husband. Your curse, your meddling mother, and your current crush, they won't stop what is to come. Choosing anyone but me is only going to leave a hurt woman in your wake. Because come the spring we will stand together on the Mountain of Love and the Light of Heaven shall prove our purity. You will be revealed to all as my true love."

Still holding Ranma's hand, Akane stood to watch Sakura as the blond girl stormed to the end of the hall and soon after they heard the front door slam. Behind her, Ranma still sat, wondering how Sakura found out about what happened in the mountains. Behind him Nodoka turned on Nabiki.

"That was not polite, Nabiki-chan. It was rude, and could well cause more problems than it solved with Sakura. Please give me the camera."

With a shrug, Nabiki ejected the tape and offered Nodoka the camera. Pocketing the tape, Nabiki kept her stare on the older woman. "Now you could probably take it from me, but I already told you I can't use it unless Akane and Ranma have already been exposed. Before you talk to me about the tape, perhaps you should ask Akane about why her friends have been giddily trying to invite themselves over to talk."

"Nabiki!" Akane hissed, wilting as Nodoka looked at her. "They were guessing. I had to tell them, but they promised not to tell anyone else."

* * *

Akane rolled onto her side in her bed, a smile on her sleeping face.

After the embarrassment of having Sakura show up, Nodoka had gone off at her for telling her best friends some of what she and Ranma had done in the mountains. Ranma had tried to be quietly intimidating to protect her honor, pointing out rather forwardly to his mother that neither Sayuri nor Yuka would spread it around. He made his point to both of Akane's friends by activating the electric clippers in his pocket as a threat, only to cause more embarrassment when Kasumi thought it was a vibrator and he was making some kind of sexual threat.

Between that incident, and what handful of details she had divulged to her friends about the night in the mountains, Akane's dreams were in overdrive. Her eyes were flickering wildly under her eyelids, dreaming of a gleaming wet and male Ranma wearing only the bracelet on his wrist, the silver engagement ring hanging tantalizingly...

Pain blossomed in Akane's limbs as fast jabs poked her through her blanket. The swift impacts caused flames of pain from her joints and her throat.

"Shhhh," Sakura whispered soothingly to the suddenly wakened young woman struggled to make her own limbs move even as her blanket was pulled off her. As Sakura started putting acupuncture needles into her, the blond girl smiled down at her. "Don't worry dear. You'll be fine once these needles are pulled out."

Smiling down at Akane, Sakura held a finger to her lips. "It's just like my future mother-in-law said Akane-chan, I can't be disrupting the harmony of the house. So you just wait here, and I'll be back in an hour or two."

Ditching the black clothes she wore, Sakura posed for Akane in a baby doll teddy so sheer that Akane could only tell it was there by the lacy trim. "If you listen very carefully, you may even hear your fiancé moaning my name."

Leaving Akane to struggle in vain, Sakura slipped out into the hall of the Tendo home and casually strolled towards the guest room.

Almost giddy with anticipation, Sakura ran her hands down her body before sliding the door silently open. Her eyes lit upon her prize, Ranma, sprawled on his bedding. Licking her lips she glanced at the two final obstacles, his parents, sleeping nearby.

Seeing Ranma off to the right in the room, his parents on futons to the left and at a right angle to her beloved's bedding, Sakura frowned at how Genma was sleeping so far to the edge of the futon he was against the wall away from his wife. Shaking her head, Sakura proceeded to open the small bento box in her hand and with her chopsticks pulled out a piece of chicken.

Waving it in front of Genma, Sakura smiled as like an animal he woke barely enough to bite into the fresh cooked meat, swallowing it down before without waking. Closing the lid on the food container, Sakura waited as he digested the laced anesthetics, his breath deepening as he fell into a deep slumber.

Looking carefully at her dear future husband, Sakura was wary of stepping too close as she moved to get to Nodoka. She had tried before and gotten caught when her slumbering fiancé, trained through his childhood by his father to expect attack at any time, had lashed out, clearly unwitting of it being her, and knocked her out. She wouldn't risk such again till all the distractions were taken care of.

With a smile, Sakura reached for Nodoka's blanket, pulling it back to reveal the ornate dogi she wore even while asleep.

-Pow-

Unaware she had kicked across an intruder's jaw, Nodoka rolled onto her side and kept slumbering.

* * *

Smoking his pipe on the roof, Happosai frowned at the lack of sounds of fighting or humping from the room below him. He knew that the artificially endowed fiancée of Ranma's had been sneaking in, but surely she wasn't that quiet.

Hanging from the roof, the diminutive old man climbed to a position to look in the window. He frowned in disappointment at seeing the blond girl sprawled out between the bedding at Nodoka's feet and Ranma's futon. Puffing on his pipe, the old man sighed, "Want something done, you have to do it yourself."

Opening the window and climbing in, the diminutive old man jumped over Nodoka to Sakura. Placing his hands as inappropriately as he could, the pervert exerted his ki to roll her bodily over onto Ranma's futon.

With a slight snort Ranma rolled away from the girl in his sleep.

With a light leap over the pair, Happosai bounded back grabbing the blanket to pull Ranma over nearly onto the heiress. Smirking, the perverted old man covered both with Ranma's blanket and turned for the door and headed towards Akane.

Grinning and inspecting the near transparent lingerie Sakura had been wearing, Happosai folded and pocketed it just as he entered Akane's bedroom.

Faking concern, the wizened old man leaped on the bed of his former student. "What happened, Akane-chan?" Hiding his smile, he let her growl weakly before finally pulling out the needles in her skin.

With the final one, Akane struggled weakly to her feet, ignoring the numb feeling in her body. "Thanks, got to go kill Sakura," she croaked.

Awkwardly making it to the door, Akane stumbled into the hall. With each movement towards the guest room, her steps got less erratic and stronger, more sure. By the time she swung the door open, Akane was ready to fight, and Sakura was in Ranma's bed.

The first kick flung Sakura and the blanket off Ranma, leaving him wide open to a curb stomp into the floor boards that she would later begrudgingly admit wasn't really warranted.

The noise of crashing bodies woke Nodoka instantly, kicking to block Akane from attacking. The pair of women traded several blows and blocks, dogi versus trained skills, in the still darkened room till a punch from each got through, knocking them apart.

Stumbling back to standing, both women blinked as the lights turned on. The first of the rest of the household to arrive and turn on the light, Kasumi swallowed as Akane and Nodoka turned to her with raised arms like she was a deadly threat before snapping back to face each other.

Nodoka glanced down at the naked blond at her feet and realized what battle she had been caught up in, dropping her guard. "Oh Akane-chan, I am sorry, please proceed."

Before Akane could, as Ranma pulled himself out of the floor. "Wait."

Glaring at her fiancé, Akane kicked the blanket over Sakura.

"What is going on?" Kasumi finally asked as she stepped inside the cramped room to make room for Nabiki and Soun now looking in the doorway as well.

"Sakura decided to sneak in, attack me and sleep with Ranma. What does it look like?" Akane snapped back.

"Are you okay?" Ranma asked standing up.

The concern in his voice took the edge off her anger, reminding her that he loved her and wasn't behind this incident. "Yeah, she used pressure points to paralyze me and show off her barely there nightie. Grandfather found me in time at least."

Ranma frowned. "Where's the nightie?"

"Excuse me?" Akane hissed, her anger returning.

"Akane, he is in on this. He wants you thinking Sakura and I did something. She was naked in bed with me but didn't wake me? She just wanted a nap?" he asked rhetorically. "This is just like him sending Taro to interfere with us, and I bet he sent Ryoga too. He took the nightie and put her in my bed before waking you up on purpose!"

Pulling on his pants, Ranma was already stretching. "That's it. I'm going to stop his meddling."

Akane bit her lip. "Wait, Ranma. Let me go talk to him. He won't stop just because you attack him. He likes fighting as much as you do."

She could already see Ranma wasn't calm enough to let her go alone.

Fortunately, Nodoka read her son's expression too. "Ranma, perhaps you could escort Soun back down stairs to his room then go out the front and find Sakura's limo. Please ask the driver to come to the front gate to collect her. Kasumi and I will find something for Sakura to wear while Nabiki can get an icepack from the fridge for her chin."

Akane was already moving out of the room as Nabiki frowned, her hand holding a camera behind her back twitching.

"Now, Nabiki," Nodoka insisted.

* * *

Akane was wearing her training gi as she approached the dojo. Frowning, she looked once around for Ranma before pulling out two white high heels from the fold of her gi and slipped them on. Taking a deep breath she stepped up to the dojo doors.

Stepping inside, Akane could smell the smoke and see the slight red glow of Happosai's pipe. Turning on the light, she wasn't surprised to see her old instructor looking at her.

"Grandfather, can we talk?"

Happosai puffed on his pipe. "What about Akane-chan?"

His lack of goading told Akane he was upset and this wasn't just him messing around.

"Why don't you like Ranma?"

"But Akane-chan, why wouldn't I like Ranma? I'm going to be the one who presides over the wedding. If I didn't want you together would I do that?"

Ignoring his sarcastic tone, Akane stared at him. "Why are you using Taro and Sakura to break us up? Why are you trying to hurt us?"

With a snort, Happosai puffed his pipe. "I'm not trying to hurt you."

"Then why are you trying to hurt him?" Akane said, her tone showing her growing annoyance.

Happosai glared at her. "Because he stole from me."

Taken aback, Akane tilted her head. "What did he take?"

"My student."

Akane frowned in confusion before she blushed. "It wasn't... Ranma and I were living together. So we practiced together. He is better than me and so he was naturally teaching me. He didn't steal me from you."

"Didn't he?" the old man asked. "Who was there when that Kendo punk nearly made you run away from home? Who was there when your father engaged you to the French boy? Who was there for the Oni? The Orochi?"

Akane swallowed. "That was all you, but I didn't betray you..."

"You abandoned me. You didn't come to me when your father engaged you again, you just ran off. And when you finally come home, are you out here asking your old master for training?"

Now Akane was mad. "Where were you? You had left town. Daddy said you approved of the engagement to the son of another martial artist. To uniting two schools. I couldn't stay and wait for you to show up."

Happosai puffed his pipe. "Did you kick your father in the arse and tell him no?"

Akane glared at him. "I'm not going to attack my father just because he is an idiot."

"Can you beat Ranma?"

Frowning at the change in subject, Akane shook her head. "I can give him a challenge, but he generally wins sparring for the moment."

Angrily climbing to his feet, Happosai pointed his pipe at her. "Sparring nothing. All out. Can you take him?"

"We aren't going to go all out, Grandfather. We love each other."

Sneering, Happosai shook his head. "So he holds back 'cause you're a girl and you do it because you have a crush?"

"It isn't a crush," Akane warned.

"If you really loved him, you'd be going all out to push each other. And if he loved you, you wouldn't be sleeping alone. Isn't that right, gay-boy?"

With a thump, Ranma landed from hiding in the rafters. "I love her. Not that it is your business, but if it wasn't for that promise and if I had my way, Sakura would have found me in Akane's room tonight."

Ignoring the blushing Akane, Happosai looked back at Ranma. "Big talk. If you really wanted it..."

"Grandfather," Akane interrupted. "Please, I'm sorry that I made you feel I abandoned you for Ranma. I'm sure Ranma feels the same."

Both men looked at her disbelievingly so she quickly continued.

"But we are engaged. How can we get over this and work together. We are the heirs to the school. Shouldn't you be training both of us?"

Happosai grinned. "I only train the best."

"So why did you train Pop," Ranma quipped.

"Fight. All out. If Ranma wins, then you are his student only and I'll stay out of it. Akane wins, you both become my students."

"Grandfather!" Akane shouted. "I am not going to fight all out with Ranma."

Ignoring Ranma glaring at him, Happosai walked his stubby legs over to Akane and pointed back at Ranma.

"Look at him, he doesn't think you could beat him."

"The only think on my face is my contempt for you, you stupid old perv."

Happosai smirked. "So you honestly think Akane could beat you?"

Akane's eyes narrowed, trying to read her fiancé's reaction. Distracted, Akane barely dived aside when Happosai hooked her gi pants with his pipe and pulled them down to her knees. Rolling into an awkward stance as she tried to yank her pants back up. Akane's eyes widened in horror at piece of paper in Happosai's hand.

Jumping back from a kick from Ranma, Happosai laughed at the pair.

"Sometime, somewhere Akane, I'll make you go all out against him. If you kill him it's because you didn't listen to your teacher."

Leaping out the door, Happosai vanished into the night.

Ranma turned to Akane. "You gonna explain that?"

* * *

Biting her lower lip, Akane looked at Nodoka and Ranma in the dojo. Along with Kasumi, the foursome were drinking fresh tea the elder Tendo daughter had brought out after Akane asked Ranma to bring Nodoka out to hear her little secret.

Swallowing some hot tea, Akane knew they were patiently waiting for her to speak. "Um, I have a demon in my bottom."

Neither Ranma nor Nodoka looked liked they got it.

"I told Ranma at least, that there was an oni, a demon, that was trapped in a special box at that temple near Yuka's house. Last spring the priests asked us to help them change the seal on the box before the old one wore out and got free. But the dummy priest wrote the new seal wrong and the oni got free. Into possessed Daddy, Kuno, and then it jumped into Kasumi. Whoever it was in turned evil, acting on their worst emotions."

Kasumi's eyes widened as she recalled her part of this story, and she silently stood. Akane couldn't help but smirk as her sister reached the doors and shut them behind her. "It only took one blow to knock it out of Daddy, and Kuno thank heavens. But Kasumi. We didn't want to hit her. The priest claimed he could make a seal to drive it from her, and so I had him make two, one to drive it out of her, and one to seal it in a new box."

Swallowing, Akane looked down. "When I got home with them, I found Kasumi, in a room kissing Taro. I had only just dumped him and I thought, the oni tricked me into thinking they had... slept together." More embarrassed than angry as she looked back in hindsight, Akane wanted to smile as she glanced to Ranma but couldn't.

"I got mad. Really mad. A thousand times Kuno at his worst mad. Grandfather said after, because I was so mad the oni jumped over to me. Grandfather said after, that it was because I was so mad, it didn't possess me but through the anger became me. Made me part of it."

Akane shrugged. "I can remember the power, using it to try to hurt, well, more like kill Taro for jumping Kasumi. But then Grandfather slapped the sealing ward on me and did something to it and the horns and all of it was sealed inside... my bottom."

"The two swirl marks?" Ranma asked nervously.

Akane nodded and stood up, turning and pulling down the back of her pants to reveal the two green and yellow swirls on her flesh.

"They get the point Akane," Kasumi said returning from outside.

Ranma bit his lip as Akane pulled her clothes back into place.

"So that piece of paper he had was some kinda unsealer? He just tried to let it out?"

"Yeah," Akane nodded, despite Ranma's choice of word. "It's some kind of ward. Not like those of the priest. Grandfather called him an amateur. He said that even if the priest got it right it can't drive the oni out of me cause it is more than a possession. Even the ward Grandfather made could only seal and unseal its power and will."

"Why?" Nodoka asked. "Why would Happosai try to release it from you now."

Akane sighed. "Because it will make me so angry and hateful that I will fight Ranma all out like he wants. He probably thinks that with its power I will beat Ranma so bad it either breaks us up or he can mock Ranma for being beaten."

Nodoka ignored the look in her son's eyes, the hungry glimmer of competition. "Akane-chan, is it so powerful and dangerous?"

Glancing nervously at Kasumi, Akane squirmed. "Um, last fall I ran away from home to repay an honor debt in the forests of Ryugenzawa. A boy there got injured saving me when I was a little girl, and I had to return the whistle he gave me to escape that place. When I got there I found out he was dying of that injury and that he needed a special moss to heal the injuries. Grandfather was sent by Daddy and Kasumi to find me and with his help we found the moss, on a giant beast, an eight headed dragon called the Orochi. It would have eaten us all, starting with me as the only girl."

Sipping her tea, Akane continued. "I thought the marks on me were just that till Grandfather released it. I nearly turned on him and Shinnosuke and his grandfather, till the Orochi tried to eat me and I beat it down. It didn't stand a chance. Fortunately, I was gloating so hard Grandfather was able to sneak up on me to and reseal it again. And Shinnosuke's grandfather managed to get the moss."

Ranma shrugged. "So it is like my neko-ken. No biggy. We just keep the old goat from putting that ward on you till he gets bored trying to be a threat to us or a beat him into agreeing to leave us alone."

"Ranma," Akane said slowly to get through to him. "This is dangerous."

"Nah. We stay alert and I'll sleep on the floor in your bedroom to protect you at night."

"No you won't," Kasumi stated. "Akane can sleep in my room."

"Nothing personal Kasumi, but you ain't gonna scare the old letch off," Ranma pointed out.

Nodoka smiled slightly. "Ranma will sleep in Akane's bed. We move my useless husband down with Soun and Akane can join me in the guest room."

* * *

Carrying his ice skates after their three hour Sunday practice, Ranma's eyes scanned the rooftops and alleys for Happosai as he walked beside his fiancée.

"You're getting better," Akane said with a touch of pride. "We might be able to put up a fight for Mikado and Kodachi next Saturday."

Ranma shook his head at Akane's goading. "If we keep up the training I'll be out-skating you. But we are still gonna need some decent team combos to take them on. Mikado is tricky."

Frowning darkly, Akane shook her head. "Everything he learned he got from Kodachi, and you've only seen the tip of the iceberg."

"I'm more worried that Happosai will strike during that fight really," Ranma confessed. "We'd be distracted fighting Mikado and Kodachi and it's a public place. If he thinks you can beat me all out, he'd want an audience.

Akane pursed her lips. "We could just do as he asks and have a proper fight in the dojo."

Shaking his head, Ranma turned to Akane. "Akane... I... Going all out, I'm not sure I could do it even if I did want to risk hurting ya. Not long ago Mom nearly died and this guy in China wouldn't let me near the water to cure her. The only reason he is alive is because he was part phoenix and came back as an egg. I don't want to go through that again, let alone with you at risk, and especially if I have to fight you like that."

Akane swallowed and nodded before hugging him. "I've been wondering when you were going to tell me about that. Aunty told me what happened. She was worried about you."

Giving a shrug, Ranma weakly hugged her back. "I'm okay. I mean he didn't die. But while the art is meant to protect people, I don't think it is right to use it to kill. If you go into a fight to protect someone's life, and the enemy won't back down, we both risk our lives if it goes too far. I get that. But if you fight at that intensity just to prove who is best... That was how Junko's dad died. He was protecting his dojo's name and the dojo destroyer who wanted the sign was using techniques that equate the body to a house, and then steals from it. It went too far and stole his life."

Akane squeezed him harder, ignoring the fact her display of affection and comfort was in public.

After a moment, the pair broke apart, but Akane grabbed Ranma's hand, lacing her fingers through his. She glanced down at the red and blue bracelet around her wrist touching the one around his. "Is that why you don't hit me harder than you do?"

Ranma shrugged. "Maybe. Not like I want to hurt you. Yeah it's important to be able to take a hit, but you can't show me anything new if you are hurt and defensive."

Using the hand on his, she hit him in the side lightly. "I'm not a china doll."

Smirking, Ranma used his free hand to flick the side of her head with a finger. "Didn't clink."

He grunted as she hit him again. "I'm not fragile."

"Didn't say you were, Tomboy," Ranma said trying to be lighter. When she tried to hit him a third time he twisted around, using his hand in hers to guard as he stepped behind her, raising his arm to hook over her shoulder. Resting his elbow on her shoulder put their linked hands out in front of her eye line, the silver ring hanging from the bracelet. "But if I can't rub ointment on your bruises till you're wearing this ring, why would I want to make them?"

Smiling despite herself, Akane shook her head, recognizing the tone of him trying to change the subject and letting it drop. She didn't release his hand, pulling it down to pull him against her back. "What is it with you and marks on my body?"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't mind giving you a hickey now that your little swirls have a less sexy story behind them."

Akane wanted to glare at him, but was unwilling to release him from the arm hold/hug they were unofficially sharing. At least he couldn't see her face and the blush over it. "Ranma?"

"Yeah?" Ranma replied cautiously, reading her tone and wincing that she was going back to the subject of going all out.

"Last week, we're you thinking of me?"

Glancing in confusion, Ranma frowned, "Huh?"

Blushing, Akane started walking towards home again, dragging him with her. "When Grandfather caught you... whacking off," she clarified with a whisper, using Nabiki's label.

Ranma looked at his fiancé. "Well duh, who else would I be thinking of?"

Akane stopped and turned on him. "Sakura?" She poked him in the chest as she said the name but he grabbed her free hand before she could poke him further as she continued. "Shampoo? Ukyo? Kodachi? Need I go on?"

"So when ya... ah, Finger Kata yourself, you think of Mikado and Taro and Ryoga?"

Pushing Ranma into a nearby wall and pinning him with an elbow across his chest, Akane looked from side to side in case somebody heard. "I don't do that!" she hissed.

Non-plussed, Ranma shrugged. "So if you don't think of them why do you think I..."

"I don't touch myself," Akane firmly interrupted.

Ranma tilted his head. "Right." His tone was pure sarcasm.

Akane glared once before turning away and walking ahead. Ranma had to run to quickly get even and match her brisk pace.

"Never ever?"

A simple growl from Akane was all Ranma got in reply.

"You know what they say, the more you deny it the more you must do it."

"No it doesn't, because I don't."

"You seemed to know how you liked to be touched in the tent."

Akane lashed out with a kick that Ranma ducked under.

"I think you think stuff so dirty you don't want to admit it."

"Die pervert!" Akane cried as she kicked at him again, following his dodge to punch at him.

Sticking out his tongue, Ranma ducked around her and ran for home, feeling her close on his heels.

* * *

"Akane-chan," Nodoka called, entering the dojo.

Looking up from breaking bricks, Akane forced a smile to her lips. Ranma's little joke was still bothering her, especially after she had thought she had finally gotten him and he tripped her into the freezing water of the pond in the yard.

She was willing to acknowledge that part of it was her fault for letting anger dominate her while he led her into a trap, and as he had teased, if she really didn't... she had nothing to be angry about.

There were times she so wanted to wring his neck.

"What is it Aunty?"

Shutting the door behind her, Nodoka took off her kimono to show the ornate dogi she wore. "I think it is time we did some training together."

Akane raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Why?"

"I feel I am best qualified to teach you to defend yourself from Happosai."

Blinking in surprise, Akane looked unconvinced.

"Well, dogi-chan and I will teach you. You see the suit brings out the skills as if I had reached the pinnacle of my potential as a martial artist. And together we have fought my husband in such a way that I can share my experience at defending against a weakness you and I share Akane."

"Weakness?" Akane asked concerned.

"Akane-chan, you are nearly a woman but you have a lot more to learn in life, and some of those things will only come with life experience. One of the things I was surprised to learn when I married Ranma's father, was that I found it arousing to be spanked."

Akane's mouth hung open as she went bright red..

"It is a very strong weakness for me," Nodoka admitted. "One my husband exploits whenever he can. Hence why now when we fight the suit helps me especially to stop Genma from reaching my behind, and to break his hands to thwart him. These are what I would like to show you."

* * *

Gingerly climbing the stairs, Akane was keenly aware of the throbbing red cheeks of her behind. She was used to being tired and some pain after training but nothing so embarrassing. Controlling herself to what she hoped was just a light pink, Akane walked to the open guest room door.

Ranma was flopped on the futon she slept on last night reading from an illustrated book on ice skating.

"Ranma. Remember when I complained about you holding back in sparring earlier? No matter what I say, you hit me only as hard as you find comfortable. And only for training. Okay?"

Seeing the frown on his face, Akane just turned and headed down the hall. No way was she ready to talk about spanking and fetishes with her fiancé.

* * *

With a shriek, Akane jumped up, nearly spilling her breakfast as Nodoka slapped her on the behind.

"Your defenses are down dear," the older woman said casually as she took her place at the table.

Ranma stopped inhaling food to look curiously at his fiancée, who was frowning and embarrassed. "What's that about?" he asked.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, my son," Nodoka said indifferently. "It is part of the training regime I am giving her."

Genma looked up from across the table. "You're training Akane?"

"Do you feel you would be better husband?" Nodoka said evenly. "I am training her to protect herself from your old master. Do you wish to risk angering that old pervert to protect your future daughter-in-law?"

Genma hunched and focused back on his breakfast.

"Akane, you must study hard under your new sensei to fend off my old master" Soun said still taking an interest. "But try not to make him mad."

"Daddy!" Akane complained.

Quickly finishing his breakfast, Ranma put down his chopsticks. "Akane, I got an idea when you come upstairs."

"Sure."

* * *

Quickly heading up the stairs, Akane turned into the hall towards her room. Her eyes found Ranma's as he stood near her open bedroom door. "What's your idea?"

"What underwear are you wearing?" Ranma asked seriously.

Blushing lightly, Akane looked away from him. "Why?"

"Well I figure since Happi tried to yank ya pants down that ward that will release the demon, that it won't work through clothes?"

More disappointed than relieved by the nature of Ranma's interest in her underwear, Akane nodded. "I thought so too. I'm wearing bloomers and two pairs of underwear under them in case he tries again."

"No good, one pull could drop them all," Ranma said before offering her a pair of his boxer shorts. "If he even looks up ya skirt with those on, he'll stall for long enough to give you a chance to fight."

Akane looked concerned. "And what will everyone else think of my wearing your underwear?"

"Do you want them looking at you like some monster?"

Akane reddened recalling how her combined form did look before snatching the shorts and pulling them up her legs and under her skirt.

* * *

Sayuri sighed.

Eating their lunches, Akane and Yuka rolled their eyes, not even needing to look to know their friend was looking at Daisuke. Initially, Akane was going to withhold this tidbit to herself but the way her friend was pining was getting annoying. "Ranma said Daisuke is apparently seeing that Arisu girl again."

When Sayuri looked up with a slight whining moan, Akane continued. "Apparently, he is going with her family on a boat in Tokyo harbor tonight to see the New Year's fireworks."

"Oh god, kill me now," Sayuri said theatrically before flopping back on the grass.

"Please, he may be clueless," Yuka began, "but at least he is worth dating. I went out with Ichiro from the Soccer team on Saturday night. Not only did he talk about how many kids he wants to have, at one point I looked up from checking out a cute boy and so was he! I mean talk about sending out conflicting signs."

Akane's eyes crossed then she joined Sayuri giggling.

"Do you think he does like boys?" Sayuri asked.

Yuka shrugged and looked around. "Don't care. Though try not to spread it around so no one gives him grief either way. He paid for dinner and didn't talk to my chest, so I owe him that much."

The smile on Akane's face fell as Yuka looked at her. The young woman could read her friend's expression. "I told you everything I'm going to on Saturday. So don't bother asking for more."

"Wasn't planning to," Yuka bold faced lied. "But how many kids are you and Ranma going to have?"

Frowning, Akane shook her head. "No idea. We've never talked about it and I'm not going to bring it up yet. I don't even know how many I want."

Sayuri leaned back up. "So, what is the most embarrassing thing you and Ranma have talked about?"

Glaring at her friend, Akane briefly wondered how a girl who hadn't been able to look Ranma in the face after hearing the details of what happened between the engaged couple could then keep asking questions after. Her mind briefly reviewed some of their conversations, and she blushed recalling her talk with Ranma yesterday and his teasing.

Seeing the blush both her friends huddled closer. "Spill."

Realizing she was caught, Akane sagged before looking around again for anyone close enough to hear. Feeling safe, she leaned in. "It wasn't a discussion, but Ranma was caught last week..." Her voice trailed off as she pantomimed like her hand was holding a pipe and waved it back and forth with her wrist like she imaged Ranma had.

Giggling the girls nodded and let her continue.

"I asked him if he was thinking of anyone else, and then he accused me of... pleasuring myself."

Sayuri blushed but Yuka just shrugged. "So?"

"So, I didn't want to tell him I have," Akane said testily.

"Why not?"

"Do you?" Akane asked.

Yuka shifted awkwardly. "Well, I mean I didn't get a kiss goodnight on Saturday, but I went to bed warm thinking of Ichiro and that cute boy he was checking out. So what?"

"I don't know," Akane said awkwardly. "I just don't want him thinking I am doing that every time my door is shut."

Sayuri frowned. "You think that's bad. My mom offered to get me a vibrator. She gave me this whole speech about saving myself for marriage, but when it... happens, she wished she knew how she'd like to be touched rather than relying on my dad who was even more clueless than her."

"Doesn't sound like Ranma had that problem," Yuka teased.

Sayuri nodded. "Are you sure he didn't do it with any of those other girls before you?"

Looking at her friends, Akane replied testily. "Ranma says so and I believe him. Besides, if any of those girls had gotten to him in the past they wouldn't shut up about it now."

Smirking, Yuka shrugged. "Can you be sure other girls now out of the picture haven't... practiced with his sword?"

"Nay!" Kuno cried, making all the girls jump as he suddenly appeared beside them and hearing the last words from Yuka. "Akane's strong but dainty hands should only handle my bokken. Her very presence as I practice would make my wooden weapon unstoppable."

Akane and Sayuri almost jumped from sitting back away from wannabe samurai. Yuka couldn't as she was doubling over with laughter at the innuendo.

* * *

Hiroshi was midway through talking about possible reasons for tattoos he was considering when Ranma got up and sprinted away. He and Daisuke looked up to see him heading towards Kuno near the girls who were scattering away from the wannabe samurai.

Eyes narrowing on the ugly wig the kendoist had on his head, Ranma moved up beside Kuno. "Nice wig Kuno. It took you a week to find one so you could show yourself around here?"

"Saotome, I return armed to defeat you. This day I face you again in my dome and I will be the victor!"

"No," said Ranma with a smirk.

"Yes! This day..."

"Nope."

"This day I shall..."

"Noooo."

"Saotome what you..."

"No challenges, Kuno," Ranma said, bored. "I could beat you but it is a hell of a lot more fun to tell you that I read the rules on Love Dome. You lost to me. Twice. And suffered the penalty. You can't submit any challenges for weeks."

"Indeed Saotome, you only prove your mind is but a candle to the bonfire between my ears. I have made my challenge."

* * *

Nabiki shrugged. "Sorry, Kuno-baby. You lost two challenges to Ranma. Pitifully quickly I might add. You'll have to wait for January twenty fourth. Rules as written."

Inside the Love Dome, the action had slowed as the overconfident kendoist claimed he could issue a challenge. "Even your own trickster imagination fails to compare to my brilliance, Nabiki Tendo. Verily, Sasuke! Come forth and explain the brilliant ruling they have failed to appreciate."

The diminutive ninja manservant of the Kuno family appeared obediently, holding up a copy of the Love Dome rules. His thin mustache twitched as he explained. "Sub clause three of section five of the rules you wrote Ms Tendo. Quote, 'Master Kuno's challenges are immediately placed at the front of the challenge queue, regardless of those in front or other conditions that Master Kuno does not agree with verbally.' End quote."

Kuno smiled obnoxiously as Nabiki blushed and double checked the rules. Without waiting for confirmation, the wannabe samurai made his way into the ring, carrying two bokken.

"Sorry, Ranma," Nabiki said, holding her hand before her face briefly in apology. "I didn't pay enough attention to those clauses. Didn't think I had to contend with Kuno's brain."

The glance Nabiki gave Sasuke made it clear she knew were this idea had come from.

"So, what? I have to fight him whenever he wants?"

"Afraid so," Nabiki said, not focused on him as she kept rereading section five of the rules, a section of the rules she had written in to appease Kuno enough to make him share the arena he had constructed, to become Love Dome. She finally looked up at him, "My bad."

"Do I get to shave any stubble under that stupid wig."

Sasuke ruffled the papers in his hand. "Master Kuno would like to point out that according to sub-clause five, he is exempt from Love Dome interference by Principal Kuno. Master Kuno would argue this also applies to the punishment chair."

Even before Nabiki could start looking at the loophole, Ranma shrugged. "Fine."

Turning around, he took Akane's hand and looked her in the eye. "Maybe the view would be better by the punishment chair," he whispered.

Akane smiled and nodded, holding the electric clippers Ranma slipped her under her arm to hide them from view as best as possible.

* * *

"Begin!" Nabiki cried.

Kuno had just enough time to raise his two bokken, the blades crossing even as they glowed with charged ki, before Ranma launched his pink tinged ki.

"Muteki Kurohyou Me-To!"

Going straight through Kuno's defenses, the attack lifted and launched the wannabe samurai back.

Waiting only till Kuno crashed into the ground, Ranma didn't wait for Nabiki to declare him the winner, calling his attack again.

Crying the name of the 'Unyielding Panther Mate' attack again, Ranma sent another blast of ki at the downed opponent.

Before Kuno could recover, Ranma jumped near and kicked the bokken from his hands. Pulling Kuno up, Ranma immediately started dragging him towards Akane and the barber's chair.

Grinning, Akane pulled the sheet off the chair, before stepping quickly towards Ranma and past him. Her eyes on Sasuke, she raised a fist at the approaching ninja.

Sasuke waved the printed rules of the Love Dome. "Master Kuno is exempt from the punishment chair!"

"Release me!" Kuno cried, waking up to the danger with one arm already strapped to the chair.

Struggling, Ranma dragged Kuno's free hand over to the other arm strap.

Akane pointed at Sasuke warningly. "Ranma was made School Haircut monitor. He has Principal Kuno's permission to shave anyone with an inappropriate haircut. That isn't a Love Dome rule."

Thrashing in the chair, Kuno managed to get one foot to Ranma to boot him away, sending Rama crashing into Akane.

Grabbing Akane, Ranma twisted to hit the ground first on his back, letting Akane land on him. Ignoring her skirt flaring up, Akane froze at the closeness of lying on her fiancé. Ranma's blue eyes locked on Akane as he took a deep breath, when a movement over her shoulder made him drag his eyes from hers, to focus on Sasuke who was trying to release Kuno. In the chair, Kuno was staring confused at the boy's boxers Akane was wearing.

Getting up, Akane pulled her skirt back into place as Ranma propped himself on one arm. "Oi, Ninja guy," Ranma said. "You undo that strap and I will shave you too."

The short ninja shrugged and pulled his hood back showing his head with the barest fuzz of hair. "Master Kuno insisted his servants don't have more than him."

Ranma pursed his lips. "Then I'll ask Kodachi for how best to humiliate you."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Even if he doubted Mistress Kodachi knew him well enough to know the worst way to humiliate him, most all of her requests were humiliating enough that the threat worked.

"Coward, release me!" Kuno yelled as his servant backed up.

Ignoring Kuno's legs, Ranma stepped behind the chair and up to Kuno's head, pulling off his bad wig to expose the week's worth of stubble. "We can do this every time you challenge me, Kuno."

* * *

"Nice undies," Ranma teased, catching a glimpse of his shorts under Akane's skirt as she climbed the stairs in the Tendo home after school.

Sticking out her tongue, Akane looked over her shoulder at him. "Well, if Sakura comes around claiming things again we can say this was me getting in your pants."

Ranma gave her a red eye, turning to the guest room even as Akane continued towards her bedroom to change out of her uniform.

Closing her door, Akane undid her school dress and slipped out of it, turning towards her closet to put it on a hook.

Glancing in her mirror, Akane stopped, looking at the bra and boxer shorts on her body. She huffed as she felt a stirring inside her.

She had been feeling a little tense all day. Seeing that damned engagement ring on Ranma's wrist all through class, and Yuka's teasing reminding her of what she had shared with Ranma when camping. If anything, the memory of their training trip was making a stronger reaction in her body every time she thought back on it.

And falling on Ranma when they were trying to strap down Kuno in Love Dome had made her cheeks pink for most of the afternoon.

Cupping her chest over her bra, Akane bit her lower lip as she sat down on her bed, letting her fingers wander.

She was caught off guard when her closet burst open.

* * *

Bored with waiting for Akane to come to her, Nodoka leaped out of the closet in ambush.

Both women froze.

Both women blushed red.

Nodoka turned quickly for the door. "I'm very sorry Akane-chan. This is an unfortunate time to ambush you. Please continue."

Opening the door and slipping out, Nodoka closed it behind her.

Pulling her hands off her body, Akane heard Ranma's voice out in the hall. "Is Akane okay?"

Giving a light wail, Akane pulled her pillow over her face.

* * *

"Please don't have told Ranma. Please don't have told Ranma."

Akane continued the mantra as she stepped out of her room, eyes glancing warily down the empty hall.

Sighing in relief, the young woman in the off white gi stepped into the hall shutting her door behind her. She made it three steps before a yawn behind her made her swing around.

Ranma stood near the balcony door, looking at her as he posed remarkably like a muscle builder as he faked a stretch with his even more over acted yawn.

Dragging her eyes from the defined muscles of her shirtless fiancé, Akane focused on her anger. "You are so egotistical."

Licking his lips, he smiled a smirk that she almost flinched away from. "Just thought you needed a little reminder to help you... not do whatever it was Mom didn't interrupt you doing."

Closing her eyes, Akane winced in embarrassment. Nodoka had obviously told him.

"Fine, come on get it all out," Akane said, till she flushed and realized her choice of words. "Your teasing! Get all your teasing out now, because if you tease me in front of anyone, I will hurt you so bad."

Pursing his lips, he dropped his hands. "Not if you're gonna sap all the fun out of it... Though I suppose Mom already did that to you."

Biting her lip and clenching her fists, Akane kept her calm as he managed to be serious for half a sentence before reverting to teasing. Her lips turned down in a frown, and she glanced down the hall to make sure they were alone before walking up to him. Almost distracted as he let her back him into the end of the hall, she looked him straight in the eye as seriously as she could. "What did what we did on the training trip mean to you, Ranma?"

Reacting awkwardly to the change in tone Akane was pushing, Ranma put one hand behind his head as he thought about the words. Closing up he turned it around. "What did it mean to you?"

"I asked you first," Akane said tersely.

"Then you should be willing to say first," Ranma stalled.

Wincing and having to drag her eyes from the flex of his bicep as he scratched behind his head, she shook her head. Looking up at his blue eyes again, she whispered. "I... I realized how much you meant to me but I thought it was our last time together. I don't regret it, but I..."

Nodding as she stumbled trying to find the right words, Ranma placed a finger on her pink lips. "I don't know how to say it either... All I know... I know it felt right."

Akane looked up at him nearly crying as he fumbled words trying to explain the same tumbling of emotions inside her.

Looking at the brimming brown eyes before him Ranma grew more uncomfortable. "Is that what you were thinking of in your room?"

The shift in her eyes told Ranma he had hit a very raw nerve and his smugness cost him an instant of reaction, leaving him too slow to dodge the punch that dropped him to his knees. He was still struggling for breath as he heard her angry steps heading down the stairs.

Heading down in pursuit, he nearly caught up when Akane had reached the door to the dojo outside. Opening the door she turned to look at him as he ran up. "I'm training with your mother. Go away."

The door was slid shut hard in his face.

Still smirking smugly, Ranma turned back to the house, his eyes narrowed on his father playing shogi with Mr Tendo. Both men were well robed against the cold as they played near the pond.

"Yo pop, time to train."

"Can't boy," Genma said cautiously, knowing that the incident with Akane's Christmas present was still on his son's mind. "Twisted my back. Should be healed soon."

Sneering at the lie, Ranma's eyes looked to Soun. "Mr Tendo. Up for some practice or you too out of shape?"

Caught between annoyance for his old friend picking an excuse that he couldn't share to not train with the annoyed young man, and the very same young man's stab at his pride. "The women have the dojo right now Son, and we aren't going to ruin my garden sparring in it. Better you sit with us and we talk about how you are wooing my daughter."

Ranma grimaced as the older man caught him off guard. "You two are enjoying ya game. I'll go train and we can talk later," Ranma said quickly. 'Much later,' he thought too himself as he made to go around the house and out the gate for a run.

"He's still young," Soun said with a snort, looking at his old friend then at the changed game board between them. "And you are a cheat!"

* * *

"Was that necessary Akane-chan?" Nodoka asked, looking up from the remains of bricks she had been breaking to see Akane ordering Ranma not to join them and slamming the dojo door.

"You didn't have to tell him," Akane complained as she crossed the dojo.

"Is there a problem Akane-chan? He probably very much likes the idea he has that affect on you."

"It isn't his business," Akane said firmly as she approached the older woman, eyes on the practice she had been doing with the power of the ornate magical fighting dogi she wore as if she really had to train. Reaching the middle of the floor, she bowed to her trainer like Nodoka was a true martial artist rather than a magic using cheat.

"Of course not, not until you are finally together of course."

Grimacing, unsure how to portray her anger to her fiancé's mother, Akane couldn't help but recall facing this woman twice outside of this training hall. Once Nodoka was the one enraged trying to dissect Ryoga and then two nights ago when Nodoka had defended Sakura from Akane.

By the look in Nodoka's eyes as she came forward and bowed, Akane was sure the older woman was thinking the same.

* * *

Akane winced as she opened the changing room door into the hall and found Ranma there.

She felt his eyes on her split lip, but the way his eyes looked down the robe covering her body let Akane know Nabiki had blabbed about the bruises seen when they joined her sister in the bath.

"Who started it?" he asked neutrally.

Behind Akane, Nodoka stepped up with an ice bag wrapped in a towel to her eye. "It was simply training accidents. We both merely got a bit vigorous. Nothing to concern yourself over, my son."

"One injury is an accident. Heavy bruising, you're favorin' your ankle, Akane her wrist," Ranma began rebelliously.

"Please enunciate your words properly, Ranma." Nodoka began firmly, pulling the ice pack from her blackened eye. "As it is, I'm not sure how you would consider bruises you haven't seen, 'heavy'. But we are both quite okay."

Akane reached out and put her fingers on his lips. "We're fine. We were just blowing off some old steam. It's done now. You can come and train with us from now on to make sure."

The tone Akane had was subtly smug, and the way his mother's eyes narrowed in less than complete agreement with Akane's assessment let Ranma know that while Akane thought she had worked out whatever was going on, Nodoka hadn't dropped it.

* * *

Looking out at the light winter drizzle, Nabiki sighed and turned from the window to the TV in the corner.

Eating soba noodles and mochi balls, most of the two families were huddled in the tea room. Nabiki slipped her pajama covered legs under the kotatsu beside where Kasumi sat, just around the corner from Akane. Beside Akane, was Ranma with Nodoka alone on the other side.

"I thought father said that he and Uncle would be home early tonight. It is like breaking tradition for him not to be here."

Nodoka bit into a rice cracker loudly, before replacing the ice pack on her eye. "It is also tradition for my husband to spend most of this night out claiming that with the fresh new year I should forgive him. He never learns and is undoubtedly a bad influence on your father."

"So it was just you and Ranma last New Year's Eve?" Akane asked.

The glare of Nodoka and Ranma's uncomfortable squirm suggested no.

"Ah, no. I got stuck saving Shampoo and Junko from a ghost."

"A ghost cat," Nodoka corrected.

Seeing Akane's quizzical look he started to explain.

"Shampoo brought this stupid giant bell back from China. It was part of a matched pair and she wore the small one. She claimed the couple with them were destined to marry. Problem is the big bell was haunted with a giant ghost..."

Even before Ranma could articulate the word, his body shivered and Nodoka took over. "Cat. It was a two story tall ghost cat. And with Ranma's unfortunate training in the neko-ken, it proved an uncomfortable opponent for him."

Ranma nodded even as he felt Akane take his hand and squeeze it.

"Anyway, it showed up and bothered us a couple times, but one time it called Shampoo out for a ramen delivery to trap her in an abandoned temple. It made it so she'd change into her cursed form if she left. It planned to marry her on new years, when she would be stuck with it as a cat forever."

Nabiki leaned forward. "Because she has the Jusenkyo curse that turns her into a cat?"

"Yeah," Ranma confirmed.

"So couldn't you just have exorcised this ghost cat?"

Ranma shrugged. "No idea how to. Wouldn't even know where to look for anyone who can."

"We have those demon priests at that temple near the school. I'm sure..." Nabiki began till Akane cut her off.

"Nabiki, maybe we should hear how they beat the cat without an exorcist?"

Taking a nod from Akane as a cue, Ranma continued. "Anyway, Shampoo told us she could break free with a kiss, and wanted it from me. Mousse tried to kiss her but she rejected him as usual. Then when it was nearly midnight, Junko showed up and helped me get past the c-c-c-cats the ghost used to keep me away."

"We got up to Shampoo who was held in a cage near the temple bell, who told us she'd be stuck when it was rung one hundred and eight times for new years. Mousse tried to kiss her to break the curse and again she kicked him away. I was about to kiSS..." Ranma's voice rose sharply as he grabbed his thigh, trying to pry Akane's fingers out of his flesh. "Let me finish first."

Akane released her grip, Nodoka frowning as Nabiki smirked at the couple.

"Ranma, you said you were about to kiss Shampoo," Nabiki prodded to make him continue.

"Yeah, I was about to, but Junko let the ghost cat pass her. She and Shampoo have had bad blood between them for ages, and she thought Shampoo still had till midnight so did it to tease her. The ghost got to me and drove me back, and I tripped backwards down a well. The ghost then grabbed the bell ringer and started slamming it real fast trying to get through the hundred and eight rings."

"I was tryin' ta get out of the well," Ranma said before Nodoka put her hand on his.

"Enunciation," the older woman pointed out.

"He was just getting excited," Akane defended. "He often sounds rough when he is excited."

"Anyway," Ranma said to cut them off that subject. "I couldn't get out of the well fast enough, and Mousse wasn't back yet, so Junko kissed Shampoo and broke the curse. Shampoo was so annoyed that Junko had fouled up me kissing her, that she tried to make Junko the bride of the ghost. It said it couldn't because she didn't have Shampoo's curse."

Relaxing, Akane pulled her hand back, while around from her Nabiki adjusted her legs under the kotatsu apparently for comfort. The middle sister looked at Ranma. "So how did that Mousse guy react to Junko kissing Shampoo? He likes her, right?"

"He's infatuated with Shampoo. But really he was so mad he hit me, because he didn't want to hit Junko. Apparently, two girls happens in their culture so he was mad that Junko made a move."

Nabiki grinned. "Poor baby."

Rolling his eyes at Nabiki's reply, Ranma looked suddenly at Akane.

For her part, Akane wasn't sure what the slight shake of his head meant. Her confusion grew as he glared and shook his head more firmly, mouthing 'we can't' at her.

Akane's eyes narrowed as her hands lunged under the kotatsu and grabbed Nabiki's leg reaching over hers to get to gods knew what part of Ranma.

Nabiki's eyes widened as the two sisters briefly struggled under the table.

Akane smirked.

Frowning, Nabiki looked her sister in the eye. "Anyone want anything while I'm up?"

Before Akane could stop her, Nabiki stood. Although still just covering her modesty in front, her pyjama top failed to cover her exposed legs, and when she turned around her bare cheeks.

Ranma glanced just once before he turned his head hard enough to get whiplash to avoid Akane turning to him suspicious of how much he had seen.

"Nabiki!" Kasumi cried. "Where are your pants?"

Shrugging her shoulders making her expose more, Nabiki didn't look back. "Ask Akane."

As Nodoka, Ranma and the angry Kasumi looked at Akane, the youngest flushed and held up the stolen pants. "She was trying to play footsie with Ranma. I didn't think she'd go parading it!"

* * *

Even over the sound of the falling rain outside, the sound of a loud crunch made Ranma's eyes flick open and his body roll out of Akane's bed to his feet. Past the door and down the hall, Ranma saw Kasumi's door open also, the older girl looking out nervously as more sounds of fighting came from the guest bedroom.

Sliding the door open, Ranma leaned on his back foot, ready to charge and fight whatever was happening within.

He wasn't prepared to see Akane and Nodoka sound asleep, and throwing punches at each other.

Frowning, Ranma wasn't sure whether to jump in or not, when Akane was shoved back hard enough that her next kick hit the wall. His eyes widened realizing what would wake them, and he tried to mimic the right voice, "Sweeto!"

Both women sat up suddenly, arms ready to defend themselves. The moment both realized their was no danger, both groaned from impacts they had been receiving from the other.

"Are you two nuts?" Ranma began, but when a sound came from behind him he spun in place, guard up. His hands dropped seeing Kasumi stepping sleepily towards the door.

"What's going on?" the elder sister asked.

Frowning, Ranma glared at the two sheepish women looking at each other in bed. "They're fighting in their sleep."

"I'm sure it is a misunderstanding. Akane must have rolled over and Dogi-chan must have thought she was a threat," Nodoka proffered.

Akane glared, "Or it struck fir..."

Ranma slapped a fist into his other palm to get the attention of the two most important women in his life, before one stuck her foot in her mouth. Pursing his lips, Ranma glanced at the confused look on Kasumi's face. "Sorry for disturbing you Kasumi. Go back to bed. I know what will keep them apart."

Ignoring the three confused looks on their faces, Ranma turned and headed back down the hall, past Nabiki's and even Akane's door to the balcony at the end.

Still frowning, Kasumi proffered well wishes for the pair and returned to her room, missing the return of a wet haired Ranma in his girl form carrying his bedding. Without speaking, Ranma set his bedding between the pair.

"Can we get some sleep this time or are we going to be too tired to stop Happosai when he finally comes after Akane?"

* * *

Shifting in the darkness, Akane felt keenly aware of Ranma beside her. It was reassuring to hear his girl form's light snores, despite not really having slept beside his cursed form in the past.

Licking her lips, she rolled onto her side to face away from him. She hadn't really thought about how little she cared about his curse anymore. Her body certainly was whispering that her fiancé was near, even if there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Ignoring the mood killer of his mother in the room, there was the promise. Despite the female form, that body was her fiancé.

Her brow furrowed as she wondered if Ranma-chan would 'inherit' Aunty's kinky desires. With a low groan at her own thoughts hindering her own efforts to sleep, Akane resolved to not hit Ranma in his girl form, before rolling over and mentally running through kata till she drifted into sleep.

* * *

Just after dawn a dressed Kasumi smiled as she silently opened her door to a new day. Stepping out without a sound to disrupt the harmony of the house, she made it three feet before noticing the change to her regular environment. Her eyes glanced down the hall to the open door to Akane's room.

Rather than turn to investigate it, she turned with a frown to the door of the guest room, inching it open without noise. One brown eye peeked in to ascertain what Ranma had used to keep the two women inside from nocturnal scuffles.

Her eye widened as her demeanor became icy, seeing Ranma's girl form lying between Nodoka and Akane. Worse, during the night, Aunty had wrapped her arms around her son's feminine neck, pulling him back to cradle the red head to her bosom.

Against Ranma's front, Akane had also encircled the red head in her arms, sleeping with her head leaning into the red head's breasts like a pillow. A little puddle of damp on Ranma's shirt from drool said Akane had been this way for a while.

Fully opening the door and stepping into the bedroom, Kasumi reached for Ranma's ear to drag the pervert from the bedding, when from under blankets both Akane and Nodoka kicked out instinctively.

Taking simultaneous blows in the shins, Kasumi toppled forward, about to land on Ranma when two feminine hands, one from each woman in the bed, reached up and caught her roughly.

Now awake, Nodoka and Akane looked confused at the embarrassed Kasumi, each having one hand on her breast, holding her off the red head slumbering between them.

With silent, awkward embarrassment, the three women all got up, leaving Ranma to sleep, not discussing what had happened till they reached the kitchen.

* * *

"Why did we have to come to this temple?" Akane lamented.

The question was somewhat rhetorical as after the embarrassing position she had woken up in, Kasumi would have chosen this temple purely to show how upset she was. After they had all quietly agreed to not inform Ranma of what had happened, Kasumi had rushed to get everyone into kimono to head to a temple for the first prayers of the new year.

"Hail the demon-slayer!" proclaimed the priest over the small crowd of early morning attendees. The Shinto priest smiled grandly, leaving his position by a covered old dry well on the temple grounds to greet them.

Blushing lightly, Akane gave a light bow to the priest, hoping he would move on.

"All be blessed by the presence of the demon-slayer. Come and take the hand of the blessed warrior of heaven!"

Wincing, Akane was at least thankful that Kuno was not present. The last time he had been around this priest had started a praise war till she was being thanked for the sun coming up in the morning. The young woman looked up as a strong hand took hers.

Reading Akane's discomfort, Ranma stepped up looking at the priest in the tall Shinto headgear. "Yo, Funny Hat. Akane is my fiancée so no one is taking her hand but me."

"Ranma, be polite," Nodoka stated reprovingly. "Please accept our apologies, Priest-san. We are just here to pray. For martial artists of our families school, like my son and future daughter-in-law, it is a duty to defeat such monsters. We prefer a certain amount of discretion."

Taking the hint, the priest bowed his head and started to step back, using one hand to gesture them onwards toward the shrine.

Kneeling down, it was only after a polite cough from Kasumi that the pair let each other's hands go in prayer.

Akane knew what she was praying for, but Ranma frowned, listening with his eyes closed as he heard the priest talking to his mother. "So have the children decided on where to hold the wedding? We..."

A cackling voice interrupted, "Find out if there will be a wedding first! The bride looks like she is having a change of heart!"

Ranma spun to his feet from his kneeling position, looking past Akane as Happosai tore a hole in the back of her kimono, through layers of cloth to reach in with a slip of paper.

Even as Akane tried to react, the magic ward made contact with her flesh and underwear, the thin cloth not enough to stop the energy exchange. Through the smoke, the swirl marks in her skin vanished, and with a cry of pain her back convulsed.

Growling, Ranma launched himself at the laughing old man. "Reseal it!" he demanded, even as he jumped towards Happosai with nearly deadly intent.

"Oh, I got you a present already gay boy," the wizened old man cried, stepping back just enough to time the swing of his pipe. With nearly no effort, he hooked the young man and with Ranma's own momentum flung him in an arc through the air.

Twisting in the air, Ranma brought his hands together to blast the old master, when he saw Happosai toss one of his lit firecrackers. Looking down, he saw that he was coming down on the wooden lid over the old dry well of the temple. He was about to land on it when the firecracker touched the wood and exploded, shattering the wood to splinters. Ranma fell uncontrollably into the opening.

Laughing, Happosai leaped over a kick from Nodoka. Landing, he looked at the wife of his fattest student. "Listen, listen!" he declared, holding a finger to his lips.

Frowning, Nodoka stopped her attack, looking to the well even as many of the mostly elderly temple-goers were leaving through the gates near the well. Echoing up, she could hear the dozens of meowing cats even over those temple visitors fleeing.

Ducking behind the priest to keep away from Nodoka, Happosai froze at a stern glance from the eldest Tendo daughter. "Grandfather Happosai, why are you doing this?"

Slightly sheepish at being glared at, Happosai stopped for a second. His smile returned as Akane's yowl became more of an angry roar. He watched as his former student simply floated into the air against the pull of gravity.

Glancing back to Kasumi, the old man frowned. "Sorry Kasumi-chan, but I can't let Akane see you right now. That would spoil my plans," he declared.

Kasumi had the sudden sensation of fear and disgust as Happosai lecherously leaped at her before her world was dark. The feeling of cold air against her legs made her swallow nervously as she struggled against the heavy cloth around her upper body.

With martial skill bestowed by the magic dogi, Nodoka charged after the old goat to beat him into stopping this. Kasumi now his third victim, the layers of the young woman's kimono were folded up over her body and knotted over her head, leaving her struggling like an onion. Her pink panties were exposed through her sheer pantyhose, her legs otherwise bare to the world.

"The oni! The demon returns!"

Nodoka chased the old man, but the cries from the shocked Shinto priest made her turn to see her future daughter-in-law floating in the air. Akane's clothes were aflame with crackling blue energy, and two small horns were emerging from her hair just above her forehead, as she looked down at the priest. The last of her kimono burned away leaving a leopard print bikini, and similar print boots with heels that stretched up to just above her knees.

Oni-Akane sneered down at the priest, "Hello again old priest. Your 'demon slayer' just became a priest slayer. Goodbye old priest!"

Raising her hand, Oni-Akane's finger pointed down at the priest, the tip crackling with blue white energy before a bolt of lightning emerged gouging the ground where the priest had been.

Rolling back to her feet, Nodoka hefted the priest up to toss him over the fence and clear of the enraged demon that was Akane. Swinging around, Nodoka had to dive clear again as a second bolt of lightning came from the floating girl in go-go boots.

"Akane-chan..." Nodoka began before the demon cut her off.

"Die Aunty!"

Dodging another lightning bolt, Nodoka tried to counter attack but Oni-Akane simply floated back out of the older woman's reach. And straight into the path of a fast moving blur.

Oni-Akane screeched as she landed on her back in the grass, looking up at her attacker. The smirking face of Ranma looked at her with oddly empty eyes as he straddled the girl, his hands like paws on her shoulders. "Meow," he 'spoke' inquisitively.

"You! I'll kill you!" Her face contorting with ugly rage, Akane struck up into the young man with deadly intent, only for him to dart aside, then leap over a thunderous, crackling bolt of lightning.

Taking Oni-Akane's distraction, Nodoka jumped into the fray again. Landing a sharp kick to the side of Akane's head, the older woman had hopped she had knocked the girl out but only left the demon girl dazed.

Empowered by the ornate dogi under her kimono, Nodoka was about to try again when Ranma blurred and charged her, knocking his own mother to the ground.

Crunching her abs to lift her legs, Nodoka Saotome pushed off her back to flip to her feet, only to find Ranma growling angrily as she continued to fight. Even the dogi couldn't make a mother raise her hand against her son quickly, as he lashed out with a claw, not cutting her skin but shredding down her kimono, the dogi beneath, and most importantly the belt of the magical outfit.

Nodoka slumped to her knees as her strength and skill in the art vanished. Holding her cloth rags to her, she watched as her son turned from her to spring back after his demonic fiancée.

The smell of ozone mixed with foul tobacco as Happosai puffed his pipe beside the older woman, watching as the demon raged against the playful boy acting like a cat.

"Why?" Nodoka begged. "Why have you done this old man?"

Happosai blew a smoke ring at the woman with a smirk. "Because he doesn't deserve my Akane-chan. He can't beat her now. Even at his best, the power of the oni is too much. He took my student from me to become a master. Now we get to see why he was far from ready."

"Please Happosai," Nodoka begged. "Stop this before they hurt each other."

Sneering, Happosai pointed his pipe at the pair. As they watched, Ranma swatted Akane's legs from under her making her spin in mid air.

"Don't you see it, No-chan. The cat in him still thinks it is a game he is playing with her. By herself she couldn't hurt him, but the Oni... the Oni is a demon. It can't know love without knowing pain. Her crush on that brat will make her feel a pain only killing him will stop. The neko-ken might be physically powerful, but it leaves him wide open emotionally. Very soon the cat will recognize this isn't a game, that Akane-chan is trying to kill him. That betrayal will stab right to his heart, and this little crush will be over."

Pale faced, Nodoka stood, looking around for some source of water to try and break Ranma from the neko-ken, only to stop as her clothes started to rip. Looking back, Nodoka glared at Happosai standing on the back of her kimono. She briefly debated whether to leave her clothes and the shreds of the dogi behind, mindful of everyone still in the temple grounds, but even if she did how could she stop either of them. Nodoka looked back to the fight as Ranma and Akane crashed to the ground once more.

Oni-Akane screeched again as she was pinned down by her frustrating opponent, when his tongue licked up her neck and cheek. Suddenly keenly aware that his paws were pressing down on her barely contained breasts, the emotion of anger and rage that normally dominated the hybrid of woman and demon recognized another emotion it could revel in. Lust.

Two legs in long boots wrapped around Neko-Ranma's back, pulling the girl beneath him up to press to his flesh. Her hand grabbed the side of his head roughly by the hair, pulling them together in a harsh and awkward but searing kiss.

Happosai frowned as the fight he had orchestrated suddenly changed. The insanity of the neko-ken in Ranma was barely recognizable as he passionately kissed Akane in public, pinning her bikini clad form to the grass.

"Not in public!" Kasumi cried, finally pulling her head out of the layers of kimono still encasing her upper body.

"Not again, my son," Nodoka lamented of the broken promise as she watched her insane son dry hump the overly willing demon girl beneath him.

Happosai looked in confusion at both women then back at the young couple as his formerly chaste student used the demonic power infused in her to defy gravity, lifting her man from the ground to roll over and slam Ranma onto his back. Still straddling him, still kissing him, Akane-oni had a look of pure pleasure on her face as she tore the kimono and undershirt from his body.

"You mean they already have?" Happosai asked quietly as he watched the show, only seeing Nodoka nodding from the corner of his eye.

-Splash-

Ranma-chan sat up bewildered, looking at Akane in a bikini straddling him, her body shaking as the horns receded into her head, a glowing piece of paper on the left cheek of her behind. Taking Akane's hand as she recovered, Ranma looked around trying to figure out what had happened

Standing beside them with tears in his eyes, Happosai placed his hands on theirs. "You both truly are my heirs. And here I thought you were gay for men. Of course I bless this union."

Still dazed as to what was going on, the pair watched the old pervert jump away, blowing his nose on paper blessings from the temple. A groan made the pair look at one of the older men still on the grounds clutching his chest and trying to sit down.

Akane's face went bright red and she slapped her hands on Ranma's breasts to cover them. Two more old men started clutching their chests as many of the older women glared.

"Children, perhaps we should go," Nodoka called, already moving cautiously toward the gates, trying to hold her rags to not expose herself. Ahead of her the bare legged Kasumi was already leaving red faced.

The topless red head and the girl in the bikini followed in a flash.

* * *

Two eyes shone in the dark of a drainage tunnel. Two red eyes that conveyed malice no human knew.

Trudging through the dark, the creature of myth brushed aside a shopping trolley washed into the tunnels with its club. Bemused by rats scattering from its presence, it ignored the indignity of traveling in such filth that only humans could make, crouching slightly as the two black and green horns from its forehead brushed the concrete ceiling with every step.

"I've tracked you twice to this city, oh rarest of flowers. Female oni, next time you appear, you will be my bride!"

To be continued.

AN: Don't worry, I learned my lesson from Kodak Moments. This demon after Oni-Akane won't be in the grand finale but I could hardly let it be a one off

Special thanks to those who have helped me, inspired me, pushed me, or proofed for me – Taechunsa, Doc Emmit Brown, Hpackrat, Lawrence and from the past Muishiki, Cupid's Bride, Angela Jewel, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

Thanks again for reading, please review all you read. The vocal minority gets what it wants, aren't you a minority? You would be if you took a minute to review.


	20. Chapter 20

Meeting Later - Chapter 20.

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

Meeting Later is originally a story by Tom Wrensch, personally one of my favorite authors. Tom has given me the honor of continuing this series but the idea and first chapter is all his work.

Last Updated: 21/12/10

* * *

"Ranma, balance on the middle of the skate. Don't fear the toe pick," Akane snapped at her training partner.

The pair skated around the lightly populated rink on New Year's Day afternoon, Ranma had been smart enough to not yet point out Akane's ragging on his technique was more about her mood since the debacle with Happosai at the temple that morning. But now she called him scared.

"I don't fear the toe pick," Ranma shot back, going up on the points at the front of the blade on the figure skates he wore to run over the ice before reverting to the blade to glide beside her.

"Ranma, look at your balance. You have to stand on the middle of the blade, but you are either on your toes or your heels."

Automatically Ranma shifted his feet to obey, mentally becoming more aware of his stance. "You said my technique was good two days ago."

Akane glared. "Compared to the first time you were on the ice, it's a million times better. You can stand and you can fight. Now I'd rather you not look so prancing on the ice."

"Prancing?" Ranma's shocked voice echoed around the rink drawing more attention.

Akane glared at him. "Well you are. You don't look very intimidating when you flit around like that."

"Oh yeah, Martial Arts Ice Skating is the most macho and intimidating sport ever."

Jabbing out a foot, Akane stabbed the ice with the blade to send ice shavings up at Ranma's face before swinging punches in at him.

Sliding left on his skates, Ranma blocked her punches, reaching in with his longer arms to tweak her nose.

Growling, Akane kept striking out, anger pouring off her, imagining his cocky grin the same as Happosai's as he kept circling to the left around her.

With a crackle, the PA of the Rink manager's desk started. "Could the couple in the middle of the rink stop doing... whatever you are doing."

Akane glared towards the front desk, having already gotten permission to train for the esoteric art if they kept clear of the other skaters, but then took note of the other skaters who had backed away. She followed their gazes towards the roof where the lights hanging from chains were swaying in the dissipating wind.

Glaring at her fiancé, she wasn't surprised to see him looking up at the roof with a smile on his face.

"Akane if you can keep that anger till the match, when they try that Couple Cleaver move, we'll have it in the bag."

* * *

Pulling the tray of sweet bean buns from the steamer, Nodoka smiled and nodded.

"Making some snacks Aunty?"

Looking up with a smile for Kasumi, Nodoka nodded. "Well I think my son and your sister will appreciate a treat after the embarrassing morning. These are one of Ranma's favorites. His very favorite is the Brownies I have in the oven."

Nodding with a smile, Kasumi made a mental note to get some extra cake ingredients if those were Ranma's favorites. Her own smile faulted as the older woman glanced at the door then the window.

"Is something wrong Aunty?"

"By now I would expect my husband to have smelled these."

Kasumi brightened. "Oh, I saw him leaving the yard with a garbage bag."

Nodoka's eyes narrowed and she swept out of the kitchen leaving Kasumi with the sounds of the older woman running up the stairs.

* * *

Genma smiled to himself as he opened the gate to the Tendo property, having disposed of the infernal bane while he had the chance.

Closing the gate behind him, he froze upon hearing the distinctive sound of blade leaving a sheath.

"No-chan," Genma began to address his wife as he turned to find her glaring at him, the family sword in her hands. Tragically, without the magic of the dogi, she was still a danger with the weapon, with a clumsiness bordering on psychotic.

"Don't No-chan me, Husband," Nodoka began with a glare. "Go and bring back every shred, every piece, and every thread of that dogi. I may not be able to put you in your place anymore, Husband, but I still make your meals."

Frowning and wincing, Genma bowed his head as he backed out the gate and into the street.

* * *

"Well, why aren't you more mad with what he did?" Akane demanded as she led the way home.

Ranma shrugged at his exasperated fiancée. "Because, that is what Happosai has done most of the entire time I have known him. At least it looks like he is over breaking us up. Now I just have to deal with him pushing us together."

Pursing her lips, Akane glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well he knows what happened now, instead of breaking us up he'll expect us to be doing it more. You know what he is like."

Warily, Akane looked at Ranma. "I don't think he'll go that far."

* * *

Ranma shrugged as he stepped up onto a low wall with casual grace. "Maybe, but I'm half expecting to be woken up insisting I steal your underwear in the middle of the night. Geez it might be worse than him against us."

"Oh yeah, as bad as him trying to make me kill you or break your heart," Akane deadpanned.

"Hey, we got out of that one. And really it sounds like you didn't want to kill me considering you ripped my kimono up."

Akane growled. "Good move, dummy, remind me that the first time I get to kiss you in weeks, you don't remember it and I was a perverted psycho demon."

It was Ranma's turn to glance down at Akane nervously in case she struck at him. "So, I just need to remind you of all this before our skating match and all the bad becomes an anger we can use to win."

"That's if they use the Couple Cleaver," Akane warned.

Shrugging Ranma dropped beside her. "They'll have to use their big stuff once we drive them to it with our moves. We have the basics down and by the weekend I'll be out skating you. We know most of the tricks they use, and they have no clue to ours. I mean Martial Art's Curling is gonna blow 'em away."

Akane glared her fiancé in annoyance at his own assessment of his learning rate as a skater, before rolling her eyes with a huff. "You can't call it a new Martial Art with only one move, idiot."

"Two moves, Tomboy," Ranma said, whipping out a short handled broom and trying to trip her.

Jumping over the stick, Akane stepped back from reach. She sighed loudly as she rolled her eyes again. "Seriously, Ranma, aren't you mad?"

Shrugging, Ranma put the broom away. "I ain't happy with him, but I prefer to think about the good stuff, like it failed and he ain't gonna release the demon in you again. I'm more worried about what I might do if I go neko-ken around ya. Kasumi wasn't very happy."

Akane blushed, ignoring the flush of heat from her body, and shook her head. "I'll handle Kasumi. She is just mad about what we did before. I guess I should be grateful for you not going neko-ken and kissing me before our camping trip. I'd hate it if you didn't remember our first kiss."

Ranma frowned. "But our first kiss was in the hot spring."

Confused, Akane shook her head. "We didn't kiss in the hot spring."

"Yeah, it was just after when you fell through the ice and... Nevermind."

Ranma quickened his pace.

"Ranma!"

* * *

"Sanzenin-san. I would speak in private with you," Tatewaki's voice boomed from the top of the stairs to the handsome blond skater.

Having just returned home with his fiancée, Mikado glanced up the stairs to his future brother-in-law. "Just one second, Brother. Let me bring your sister's bags in first."

With a grumble Kuno turned and strode back to his wing of the mansion, leaving Kodachi to lean closer to her fiancé. "Go, quickly. If he needs something from you, you two might start to get along better."

Seeing her lover glance at the bags, Kodachi laughed and kissed him deeply. Breaking off she left her own bags behind. "Sasuke! Get the luggage! Hohohohoho!"

Grinning, Mikado stepped quickly in pursuit of Tatewaki. He would have offered greetings but nearly laughed when he saw the Kendo hood the Kuno heir wore to cover his shaved head.

"Thank you for coming, Sanzenin."

"As quickly as I could. Need we be so formal, we are soon to be brothers."

Kuno glared distastefully at the handsome young man. "Your cavorting with my sister has yet to have my approval, let alone your marriage. But that is beside the point, as I need your debase mind to unveil a mystery that haunts me."

Ignoring Mikado's glare, Tatewaki drew two boken and pointed at two portraits. One, a twenty foot tall image of the leggy Akane Tendo he purchased and framed from the Juuban tournament last year, the other an equally massive blown up photo of the busty Ranko Saotome kicking an opponent out of the Love Dome fighting circle.

Getting a step ladder and a magnifying glass, the high school senior climbed up beside the redhead's image. "Do you see? The trim of an undergarment most unseemly."

Shaking his head in surprise at this subject from Tatewaki, Mikado smirked. "I have glimpsed her choice of underwear. She is somewhat of a tomboy, but I can understand her wearing guy's shorts would get you excited."

"That is not it!" Tatewaki bellowed in embarrassment. "Whyfore would such a beauty wear such unseemly garments. Whyfore would the innocent and pure Akane Tendo follow her and also wear such." Tatewaki moved his mouth in distaste as he recalled seeing Akane's choice in underwear as his head was shaved once more by the demon Saotome.

Mikado held his tongue that prissy Tendo might not be so pure anymore and instead spoke cautiously. "And you want me to tell you why?"

"You, who have proven to be a deplorable womanizer. You, who tricks women into failing to see your greed and lust. Who else would I, a pillar of purity, turn to for understanding of the deplorable."

Hiding a flinch, Mikado sneered and snapped back. "Trophies."

"Trophies?" Kuno asked confused.

Mikado casually shrugged. "It is one of the only two possibilities that fit. Either your 'pure' loves have been wearing the shorts of men who they have taken as lovers."

"Preposterous!" Kuno thundered.

"Or..." Mikado proffered unconcerned.

"Or?"

"Or they are the trophies. Someone who has claimed them or is intent on claiming them is making them wear his or their shorts."

"That fiend!"

* * *

Akane frowned as Ranma scoffed down another chocolate brownie.

She wasn't put out by his lack of manners in stuffing his face, but by the happy smile on his face as he ate, and the affectionate glances he gave his mother. Biting less than delicately into a sweet bean bun, she did smile a little knowing that while the older woman would always be Ranma's mother, without the dogi she was no longer pretending to be a martial artist.

"So where is Pops?" Ranma asked his mother between bites.

Frowning slightly, Nodoka sipped her tea. "Your father thought he would be helpful and throw out the remains of dogi-chan from this morning. If he is moderately wise he will not be back without every scrap and thread."

Frowning, Ranma considered asking if she planned to try and repair the suit again but instantly knew his proud mother would.

"Ranma, do you want to do some homework before dinner?" Akane asked standing up.

Looking between the plates of confections and Akane, Ranma grimaced, "But Pop's ain't here to hog it all. Can't we finish these first?"

Akane begrudgingly moved to sit down, even as Nodoka stood. "I'll get you a plate so you can snack and do your homework," the older woman said indulgently.

Akane had to glance away from the self satisfied smile on her future mother-in-law's face at winning this one.

* * *

Listening at the door as her son and future daughter-in-law argued over the solution to a geography question, Nodoka smiled and left them in peace to take gliding steps down the hall. Just as the sliding door to the guest room came into view, so too did her silently moving husband sneaking in.

"I don't see a bag, Husband."

Shivering at the icy tone, Genma turned with a smile for his wife. "No-chan..."

Not surprised at how her gaze got more chilling, Genma briefly considered the 'Crouch of the Wild Tiger' when he remembered he didn't really need to fear a physical beating from her without the dogi or the family sword that lay behind him in their room. Then he remembered a technique that might work better. Straightening his shoulders he looked her in the eye. "I'm sorry No-chan, but I couldn't find it. Someone had taken the bag by the time I got back there."

"Then you better find what garbage dump it..." Nodoka began before Genma held up a stern hand.

"No, I think it is for the best that it is gone forever."

"Oh you do, do you?" Nodoka said stepping forward.

Opening his arms wide, Genma smirked as he channeled his feelings for his wife through his center. "Cradle of Heaven!"

Her husband's affection washed over her, igniting the same old feelings deep inside, and though too off balance to jump her body still automatically lurched forward into Genma like it was magnetically pulled. As his arms encompassed her, Genma's lips found her own.

Breaking the kiss, Genma scooped up his wife into a fireman's carry and turned towards the guest room. "Wife, I will no longer tolerate that suit coming between us."

Literally swept off her feet, Nodoka decided she could be angry with her manly husband later.

* * *

"Oh, the fireworks were pretty. And Arisu was in her kimono and all done up like a doll, but it was just so stuffy to be in a suit surrounded by all these older people in suits and kimonos, on a boat with it raining on the windows and such," Daisuke explained as he walked to school.

Nodding at his friend but not really seeing why it was so bad to get a free dinner and date on Tokyo harbor, Hiroshi shrugged. "So did Arisu like it?"

"No idea. She didn't pull a tanto on me, but she didn't kiss me on the cheek at the end of the night either. Her mom kept on going on that she is too young for dating to the others on the boat."

"Maybe you should have groped her again," Hiroshi put in unhelpfully with a leer and a smirk.

"That might work for Michiko," Daisuke shot back, "But groping Arisu in front of her mother might have got me stabbed and kicked off the boat without a dock."

"Oh man, it definitely works for Michiko," Hiroshi bragged back with a grin. "I went to her place to watch the fireworks on TV. It was working, till her Uncle came home and riled her up."

"How far did you get?" Daisuke began to ask when both young men glanced towards a small park where a younger girl in a St Hebereke uniform was stalking around. What she was seeking was soon revealed when their classmate Hikaru Gosunkugi came into view, his light frame crouched as he edged around a garbage bin to keep it between him and the girl.

Spying their classmate hiding from the younger girl, Hiroshi looked to Daisuke. "Does 'Bro's before Ho's' apply here?"

"Voodoo is a classmate," Daisuke said with a shrug, using the nickname for their weird fellow student.

Hiroshi gave a casual shrug before raising his voice. "Oi, St H girl, what you looking for?"|

Kaori Kumayama glared back at the two boys in Furinkan high school uniforms. "My boyfriend. He won't talk to me and I saw him run into this park when he saw me."

Hiroshi frowned, "Didn't you two break up when you were kissing that other guy at the Christmas Dance?"

"Oh, this was that girl," Daisuke put in, having left by that stage in the dance.

Initially terrified that his classmates were going to expose him, Gosunkugi managed to start breathing again as they engaged Kaori in conversation, he stood and silently backed away to the nearest tree then started for edge of the park at a faster pace.

"He was kissing me," Kaori declared. "It was my idiot cousin and he grabbed me instead of his date in that stupid dark tunnel. That is why I have to talk to Gos-chan. It wasn't my fault and it didn't mean anything."

Surprised as the girl waved a closed fist at them, as if challenging them to say otherwise, Hiroshi held up his hands to placate her. "Hey, that's between you and him. But maybe he doesn't like his girlfriend coming on so strong."

The girl simply glared at them, her knuckles cracking as her fist whitened.

"So, we better let you get back to your search. Good luck."

Setting off at casual if speedy pace towards school, Hiroshi and Daisuke found Hikaru waiting for them at the next side street. "Thank you for distracting her."

"Dude, what is with her? Why did you date her?" Daisuke asked.

Biting his lip, Gosunkugi shrugged, feeling a little ashamed. "She liked me. At first she reminded me of... someone else, but it is nice to be liked by someone. She just likes to be in charge of everything. Like what we would do, were we would have dinner, and, um, when we should marry."

"Marry!" both boys exclaimed.

"Voodoo, she is like, what, twelve?" Hiroshi added.

"She is fifteen, but it wasn't my idea. On our second date she made me meet her parents and then started talking about it like it is soon. Why do you think I was looking for a way out."

"Come on, be a man and put your foot down," Daisuke said, grabbing his slouching classmate and pulling him up straight by his neck.

"I tried. She thought it was cute when I put up a fight in Love Dome, right before she pushed me out of the ring. She is like Akane Tendo, but instead of beating all the boys who used to want her away, she was just as dangerous and wanted to date me."

Daisuke and Hiroshi glanced at each other to see what the other thought and realized both were out of advice. Daisuke shook his head. "He has to speak to the master."

"The master might not find him worthy," Hiroshi said solemnly.

Daisuke matched his friends tone. "That will be for the master to decide."

Hiroshi nodded silently.

"Um, who is the master?" Gosunkugi asked nervously.

"Ranma Saotome," Hiroshi stated.

"Master of women's hearts," Daisuke added.

* * *

Ranma Saotome looked in at his fiancée.

"Akane, is this bra okay? Or should I wear one that lifts and separates?"

Counting to five, Akane looked at her currently female fiancé playing with his breasts through the blouse of his St Hebereke school uniform.

"Who are you trying to impress Ranma?"

"Well, no one," Ranma said sheepishly. "But I don't want Mom complaining because I have 'uni-boob' again. I had to go out on a date one time in a real flashy dress and she went off at me for having a sports bra on underneath."

"This isn't a date, so this is appropriate. I thought you said you were only going in your girl form today to tell the Love Dome officials your 'brother' or I can take your challenges? Do you want more challengers?"

Ranma tilted his head sheepishly before realizing the 'correct' answer and shaking it. "Course not."

Growling, Akane picked up her book bag. "Come on let's go. Or you won't get time for anything in Love Dome before you are expected to go to St Hebereke."

"Fine, but let's dodge mom on the way out. Just in case."

* * *

Walking through the school gates, Akane wasn't surprised to see some interest from the boys at the redhead beside her, her mind idly wondering how they would react to finding out the redhead was in truth a male.

Her mind flitted to a new subject forgotten as they left home, "So who did you go on a fancy dress date with?"

"Huh? Oh that, back when Sakura was trying to kill girl me and jump guy me, she had this guy who was hitting on her hard but she was always ditching him. Kind of like Mousse with Shampoo. Anyway he was going on about something I thought was like surgery or the like and begged me to go with him. Problem was I didn't realize I was in girl form and he was talking about a party. Then Mom found out it was some high class thing and went over the top with this red dress with sequins and stuff, hence the bra issue. Mom was pissed when I didn't come back with it."

Akane stopped and grabbed the redhead's shoulder. "You came back from this party without the dress? As in just your underwear?"

Squirming embarrassed, Ranma shrugged. "The party was some kind of art show but at some legal firm in a big building in the city. Boring as hell. Worse was Sakura was there glaring daggers at me and flirting with the guy I went with so I told her male me was pissed and waiting in this office and then I quickly dragged the guy I came with into the dark. He tried ta kiss me but I slipped away and turned out the light. I managed to open and slip out the window just as Sakura came in and started making out with the guy. I figured it was win-win till I saw my dress was caught in the window frame. Before I got it free, Sakura must have realized it wasn't me and shrieked, I jumped and kind of fell off the ledge and the dress ripped right off me."

"Wait, you fell off a skyscraper in your underwear? How did you survive?" Akane demanded, drawing the attention of several other students who wanted to know what the pair was talking about.  
Ranma smirked smugly. "Actually it was brilliant even for me, I was just falling down the glass side and I took off my bra to..."

"Halt, I come to save you my loves!"

Cut off mid-sentence, Ranma looked up in surprise but Akane in tired annoyance as a bald Kuno ran forward.

"Verily, I knew this day was special, wherefore is my hated nemesis Saotome but fled before me as I unravel his true perverted ambitions," the wannabe samurai proclaimed.

Blue eyes crossing as Ranma followed Kuno's words, the redhead was still trying to work out if his true male identity had been insulted when Akane stepped in.

"What do you want, Upperclassman Kuno?"

"Ah my beloved and tidy flower, I dream of the day when I will date with each of you on my arms," Kuno's eyes looked off into some imagined scene before refocusing on the redheaded Ranma.

"Ranko Saotome, I would know the truth of the man who seeks to contain your vital purity? Is there another foul villain whom would force this unspeakable imprisonment upon you? Or is it just your brother's demonic lusts know no bounds and incestuously seeks claim the flesh of the same womb?"

Ranma looked to Akane to translate as she blushed at what little she understood shouted in the all too populated school yard. "Kuno, shut up or make sense."

"I refer to this!" the Kendo master declared and slashed upwards with his bokken at the redhead.

Still trying to work out what Kuno was talking about, Ranma jumped back too late from the attack, but the expert aim of the blade did its damage, the wood cutting like a sharp blade up through her skirt and blouse.

Ignoring the flutter of skirt and now open blouse, Ranma took a guarding pose. "Oi, bastard!" Raising his hands, ki began to coalesce between the redhead's palms. At least till the confusion washed over the swordsman's face.

"Kuno!" Akane cried as she tried to kick at the wannabe samurai as he stared at the plain white panties the redhead wore. As the wooden blade flashed again Akane had to pull up her kick, only to have the wind off Kuno's weapon blow her skirt up around her hips.

Akane pulled her skirt back down as Ranma-chan moved to stand between the swordsman and his fiancée.

Confused, Kuno fell to his knees. "Whyfore have you changed from male boxers? Have though thrown off the perverted shackles of your oppressors?"

"What are you babbling about, idiot?" Ranma demanded.

"Happōtsurisengaeshi!"

Immediately with the battle cry, an energy blast of ki shot from Furinkan's head disciplinarian, caught Kuno in the back and ground him into the turf. Approaching the two girls, the now diminutive child form of the teacher in the yellow dress was carefully holding a hand over her glass fish tank.

"Tatewaki Kuno, there is no delinquent fighting outside of Love Dome." Already recharging her ki from the fighting fish inside the bowl, Hinako was again growing into an adult. "Miss Saotome, you appear under dressed for a St Hebereke student let alone for being on Furinkan grounds."

"Miss Hinako," Akane said quickly, already recognizing the same tone her teacher had for Mrs Saotome in her voice as she looked at who she believed to be Nodoka's daughter, Ranko. "If we get Ranko to our change room, I'm sure we can find a replacement skirt so she can go to her school."

Ms Hinako glanced at Akane. "That's okay Dear, there is a replacement cheerleader skirt in the cupboards in Love Dome."

* * *

Akane looked nervously around as she hid her currently female fiancé behind a door from the perverted leers of the males of the school. Behind said door Ranma was grumbling about the dusty state of the spare cheerleader's outfit Hinako had dug out. "Feels like how Ryoga's clothes normally look."

"Next time don't let Kuno cut your dress off you!" Akane hissed before seeing Yuka and Sayuri warily approaching.

"Hey, sorry. I can't talk till I get Ranko out from Hinako's bullying."

"That is somehow Ranma, isn't it?" Yuka whispered.

Akane's eyes widened before recalling Yuka had been at the temple yesterday and so had seen when Happosai used water to trigger Ranma's curse in public to end the neko-ken mindset. Biting her lip, Akane pushed Ranma's book bag into Yuka's hands. "I'll explain later. If you make sure the girl's change room is empty, Ranma's uniform is in the bag. Wait for us there, with a cup of hot water too. Do that and I'll explain it all."

Sayuri frowned but Yuka smiled slightly and nodded, before rushing off through the male student body intent on seeing Ranko Saotome in a cheerleader uniform.

Finally dressed, said redhead was all too eager to ignore the calls of students of challenge to leap up into the fighting circle at the heart of Love Dome. "Yo, Ref. I only came today to say that any guy who wants to challenge me for a date, if I am not around, they can face my brother Ranma instead."

"Or they can face me," Akane put in with a glare that Ranma felt safer agreeing to this with a nod than opposing.

The female senior in the black and white blouse nodded and picked up her pen, then glanced back at the girl known as Ranko. "Will you be fighting today since you are here?" she asked, idly gesturing to the queue of boys already formed.

"Bring it on!" Ranma declared.

* * *

Ranma was smirking as Akane led the way into the girl's change room. "Did you see how disappointed Hinako was when the boys gave up when I threatened that my real self would review their hair cuts?"

Rolling her eyes, Akane shook her head, "You dummy, don't you realize how she is only riding you because your Mom got in her face."

"Hey, I had to show in Love Dome in this form anyway. And this cheerleading outfit is less embarrassing than being nearly cut up by that idiot Kuno did. So what if a few guys saw my underpants?"

"And mine," Akane reminded him, which earned a grimace of acknowledged anger.

Turning into the change room, Ranma was surprised to see two girls already there. "Oh, sorry. I'll go to the bathroom first," the redhead said quickly turning around to wait till the room was empty.

"Ranma Saotome?" Yuka asked.

Ranma turned in surprise, taking a second to recognize Akane's friends. For a moment he considered faking it but slouched, bringing his hand up to the back of his red hair. "Yeah, sorry bout this."

"How?" Sayuri asked plainly.

"It's a curse I got in China. I was knocked into a cursed spring, where a girl had drowned centuries before. There is a whole valley of these springs, or there was, and if you fall into one where something drowned in them in the past, you become that thing. I fell into the spring of drowned girl. My pop turns into a giant panda."

"Taro too," added Akane. "His monstrous form was from the same place."

"You knew about this the whole time, Akane?" Sayuri asked quietly. "Even when you went camping?"

"Yes," Akane nodded quickly.

"Heh," Ranma said, a smile creasing his feminine features. "She knew that the first morning at my home when she walked in on me in the bath."

Akane blushed as Sayuri and Yuka glared at the redhead.

"Like when you spied on us in the change room before you broke the water main?" Yuka accused, reminding them of how over a year ago the then mysterious redhead had been in their change room when the water-main later exploded.

Sayuri looked even angrier. "And at the hot springs last winter."

Wincing, Ranma didn't answer before Akane spoke, "You just saw him turn away when he thought you were in here changing. He was the same when I first saw him washing as a girl, insisting I cover up before opening his eyes. He isn't a pervert."

"Trust me, I know way more about naked women than I wanted to with this curse. Ain't none of it hot."

Yuka's lips twitched. "But you did know a lot when you went camping with Akane?"

"Yuka!" Akane hissed fiercely, covering the blush on her fiancé. Moving for action she took the cup of hot water from Sayuri and Ranma's uniform from Yuka. "Get changed before the class bell rings or someone comes."

Heedless of the girls, Ranma dropped his skirt and started pulling off his top, Sayuri turned away while Yuka stood more side on, still obviously looking.

"So, are you going to tell everyone?" Ranma asked nervously as he dropped his panties and stepped into boxers.

"Who else knows?" Yuka asked turning more fully back to him as the girl crossdressed into male pants. "Do you also go to St Hebereke's as a girl?"

"Kodachi," Akane nearly spat. "She found out and gave Ranma a uniform for his girl side, but he hasn't gone there once. She hasn't even told Mikado though for some reason."

"Maybe she thinks it is funny for Mikado to be drooling over a guy?" Sayuri offered.

"Or for Ranma to go to her school," Yuka added.

Ranma shrugged as he took off his sports bra. "Ain't goin' to a girl's school neither. Water still hot?"

Akane nodded and offered the cup, even Sayuri glanced and Yuka gawked as Ranma poured the cup onto his head. Suddenly, the male Ranma they were used to replaced the girl before them.

Akane stepped between her fiancé and her friends as they ogled at his chest, before he slipped his shirt on.

Finishing his uniform with a jacket, Ranma smiled. "So you gonna go tell everyone?"

Sayuri looked to Akane without answering. Yuka smiled slightly. "No, but you owe us."

Both Sayuri and Akane glared at Yuka.

Ranma looked between the three girls before shaking his head. "After last time where you wanted me to hit on a friend's date? How about I owe Akane something and she can agree to make it something you want?"

Seeing Akane smile was enough of a win for Ranma as he grinned. "Anyway, see ya in class."

With a leap to the top of some lockers, Ranma opened a high window near the ceiling and was outside within seconds.

Sayuri frowned at Akane. "Is the curse... something you like?"

Frowning, Akane shook her head. "I love him for him. Without the curse he would probably be more chauvinistic but I like male him, even with the curse."

The ringing of the bell put two of the girls running for class, the third took a longer moment. "I think it's magical," Yuka whispered.

* * *

The ringing of the school bell heralded lunch and Ranma eagerly pulled his bento from his bag. With rain outside there was no way he was going out in the wet and become Ranko again.

Hikaru Gosunkugi swallowed nervously as he approached the larger classmate eating his meal at his desk. It was all very good for Hiroshi and Daisuke to suggest Ranma could help him fix his current relationship trouble and maybe find a girl more his speed, but as he glanced behind Ranma at his first crush, Akane Tendo, now Ranma's fiancé, the dark haired boy might not like what he made Akane do that one time in the past.

His timidity cost him as another classmate got to Ranma's side first.

"I take it that your beautiful fiancée did not make that," Mikado Sanzenin said in a mocking tone.

Unaware that behind him Akane was glaring at Mikado, Ranma gave only a glance for the smirking boy while swallowing what he had in his mouth. "My Mom did. You got something to say about my Mom, Golden Boy?"

"That is Golden Star, Saotome," Mikado returned, wise enough to not pick at a dangerous nerve that should be saved for exploitation at an opportune time, like when Saotome was no longer school Hair Cut Monitor. "I mean my lovely fiancée is an excellent cook, despite being able to pay more for a chef to cook for us year round than your father earns in a decade. Don't you like it when your fiancée cooks for you."

"So what if I am still learning?" Akane defended her own pride, joining the two young men's conversation. "I'll have you know that my sister and his mother are expert cooks, even Kodachi's poisoned cooking looks bad compared to..."

Akane's voice trailed off as Ranma raised his hand, standing up he looked at Mikado. "This is the best you got? A vague dig at Akane's cooking? You think that will put us off our game on Saturday?"

Giving a shrug with his sleazy smile, Mikado held Ranma's stare. "This is for my amusement. I've heard about some of your training at the rink. Almost no pairs moves. You seriously underestimate the strength of a true Martial Arts Ice Skating team."

Ranma chuckled and laid a hand on Mikado's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay to be scared. I mean, you got a fiancée for a partner who is a good cook and a good martial artist. That's nice. I got a partner who took out thirty boys with a dozen cookies..."

"Idiot!" Akane stomped back to her seat after upending her bento on her fiancé's head.

"Oh yeah, such a tight team you two make," Mikado said with a laugh, walking for the classroom door.

Glancing at his fuming fiancée, Ranma half turned his body in his seat to look at Akane. Twisting his upper body further, he put his bento on the desk between them, making an offering gesture with his chopsticks while grinning. "Oh yeah, we got him scared."

Akane looked galled at Ranma as he brushed off her anger and then acted so sweet. Closing her eyes she shook her head and picked up her chopsticks, torn between kissing him and wringing his neck.

"It was only twenty two boys," she muttered.

* * *

"Halt, enemy of women, I challenge thee to single combat!" Kuno called the second Ranma stepped out of his classroom after the end of day bell.

Standing beside Akane, Ranma looked at Kuno in his full kendo garb, sans only the helmet, the hood of the outfit hiding his baldness.

"Come on Kuno, aren't you going to get bored losing all the time? Yes you can challenge me any time you want but you know I will just blast you before you can get to me. It certainly ain't fun for me to shave off one days worth of stubble from your head. If you really want this, I'm taking your eyebrows today too."

"Never!"

* * *

Ranma smirked as he ran home with Akane from the ice rink, "Did you notice how Hinako was lighter on me all day after she thought she made trouble for Ranko?"

Smiling past some exhaustion from another intensive training session after school, Akane nodded. "She doesn't want to upset Daddy if you are going to be his new son-in-law, but she is not happy with your mom still. I'm wondering what will happen when she next meets Aunty and she doesn't have the dogi to defend herself."

"Yeah," Ranma agreed, "If she starts swinging that sword around, Mom is still dangerous."

Akane pursed her lips. "But I thought Aunty never trained in the art?"

"She didn't," Ranma explained. "But if she reaches for that sword she carries, look out! Cause it could land anywhere. She is clumsier than you."

"Says the master of Martial Arts Ice Skating On His Butt!" Akane shot back, adding a raspberry for good measure.

Opening the gate, Ranma glanced at his fiancée as she took his skates. "After I put these away, I am getting in the furo first," she insisted, reminding him of a brief argument over his going first the day before.

"You can have it," Ranma said as he watched Akane start up the stairs. Once she was about half way up, he smirked. "As soon as I'm done."

Akane turned and leaped back down the stairs, rushing after Ranma with the skates in her hands. "Get back here, jerk! Stop!"

To her surprise, Ranma stopped. It became less surprising as she realized he was sniffing with his nose raised towards the kitchen doorway.

Glancing in, the engaged pair saw Nodoka and Kasumi gracefully gliding around the kitchen as they worked. "That sukiyaki, Mom?"

"'Is that sukiyaki, Mom?'" the older woman chided, before nodding and smiling for Ranma. "It is, my son."

Akane frowned at the longing look Ranma gave the frying meat, but it deepened as Nodoka offered Ranma and her a plate of dorayaki, pancake like pockets holding sweet bean paste.

Akane politely took one just before Ranma started his second, earning a glance of ice from his fiancé. "Weren't you getting in the furo?"

"You wanted to go first," he managed to reply as he started on a third.

Bowing politely for Aunty, Akane made her way for the furo, listening as Nodoka asked Ranma about his day.

* * *

"Finally, I been looking for ya. Did you want to work on our homework now?" Ranma asked, half relieved to find Akane in the kitchen. His relief faltered as he saw her struggling with something in a bowl.

Jumping in surprise, Akane smiled at her fiancée as she casually put the bowl of mix on the counter. "I was just doing some cooking."

Ranma stepped over, grabbing the still upright wooden spoon and lifting the bowl into the air by the solid mass Akane had been fighting to stir. "What, cement?"

Grumbling, Akane threw a punch at her jerk fiancé, too halfhearted to deserve follow up as he dodged.

Seeing her mood at another failed confection, though the first he had seen her screw up since moving back to Nerima, Ranma glanced at the large pot on the stove. "What's that?"

Stepping over and glancing in the large pot, Akane shrugged. "The beans for the sweet bean paste you like. They have to soak overnight."

She gestured to smaller pot she has prepared, "That is what is left of the filling your mom made from it. I was going to use it once I mixed up some batter."

"You mean the cement?" Ranma teased.

This time Ranma just caught Akane's fist, but not before her arm accidentally knocked the saucepan, sending it spinning to pour up her blouse.

Glaring at Ranma, Akane caught the saucepan, the damage done. "I was ruining it just fine without your help, idiot."

Ranma smirked, running a finger up Akane's neck, and then brining some of the bean paste to his lips. "You look tastier," he said, before her blush made him blush.

Pushing him back to try and control her hormones, Akane grabbed a cloth. "Let me clean up and I'll meet you in my room... To do homework!"

* * *

Frowning at the rain clouds swirling above, as if waiting for him to relax his attention, Ranma Saotome walked, with an umbrella at the ready beside Akane into the school grounds.

"Demon, I challenge you!"

Ranma groaned and slouched, then suddenly looked warily up at the sky as if it would rain now that he was distracted.

"Upperclassman Kuno," Akane began, wanting an end to another pointless challenge from the master swordsman, when her voice cracked and a giggle escaped her lips.

Looking back at Kuno, Ranma burst into laughter. "Aw come on Kuno. That is cheating! I can't fight you looking like that! What did you draw those eyebrows on with? They make you look like you should be in a sequined gown singing show tunes."

Red faced, less happy than he had been with earlier when he drew eyebrows onto his handsome and bare face, Kuno shoved his Kendo helmet on. "I challenge thee!"

* * *

Akane bit into her cookie with vigor, looking darkly at her fiancé gobbling three more from his plate and eying more from the central pile Nodoka had baked during the day. Seeing Nodoka's indulgent smile for her son as he stuffed his face, Akane wished she could make him react like this. Her mood deepened recalling last night's failed cooking attempt, though Ranma's innuendo still caused a shiver in her spine... and gave her an idea.

Excusing herself and standing up, Akane rushed upstairs to her room. With the ice rink holding special classes for younger kids today, they politely asked Akane and Ranma to give their training a break, and so the pair had come straight home to train in the dojo... at least till Nodoka and her smells of cooking had caught her son.

Akane understood Aunty was only doing it out of love, but it was irritating, more so that she could never compete with the older woman on cooking. Fortunately, she could remind Ranma to train in other ways.

Opening her closet, she pulled out an outfit she hadn't used in two months. Taking a deep breath, she hid her training gi under her bed then returned downstairs.

Nodoka and Kasumi looked up as Akane entered the room, the former's eyes widening as the latter's narrowed. The young Tendo was wearing the red and black outfit she had worn to the Juuban tournament. The pleated black skirt didn't cover anything below mid thigh nor above her hips where the strip of taut stomach was exposed below the red body hugging Chinese shirt. Because of the chill of winter, the young woman wore Nabiki's leather jacket with it but placed her hands on her hips to make sure it didn't cover any skin from Ranma's blue eyes.

Akane's eyes settled on Ranma. "Ready to train, Ranma?"

Dragging his eyes up her form, Ranma nodded and climbed to his feet. "Yeah, training."

Glancing pointedly at Nodoka, Akane turned to head out to the dojo when Kasumi spoke up. "Akane, shouldn't you be practicing in a training gi?"

"Well, we will be back in these outfits for the fight on Saturday, and all my training gi are..." Akane glanced at Ranma as her voice turned breathy, "...dirty."

Akane turned back to heading out to the dojo, if only to hide her blush as her self control broke.

* * *

Ranma stopped just outside the open gate of the school grounds and looked to Akane. "Bet you I get challenged the moment I put a toe over this line?"

Tilting her head, Akane grinned. Taking a deep breath, she made her voice as breathy and sultry as she could, with Martial Arts Sexy Voice. "I'll take that bet."

Frozen by her words and the sway of her hips as she stepped towards him, Ranma didn't move as Akane dragged one idle finger down his cheek and stepped closer as if to kiss him.

"Ranma Saotome, I challenge thee!"

Even though Kuno's voice didn't break Ranma's focus, it did Akane's as she smiled like the cat who ate the canary. "Guess he couldn't wait for you to cross that line first? I win."

Letting a shiver run up his spine, a remnant of the intense way Akane made him feel and by getting one upped, Ranma turned to see Kuno rushing towards them, this time having ditched his Kendo armor and wearing a traditional straw hat that came low on his brow.

"Enemy of women, you dare...OW!"

Dropping his sword, Kuno reached for the burning sensation on his back. Turning, he was surprised to see the diminutive Happosai behind him, smoking his pipe.

"Demon!"

"Can it, wannabe. You obviously aren't a challenge to my students anymore. So take a hike," the old man cried before leaping in the direction of Ranma and Akane.

"Ranma my boy, I leave it to you to explain this. Consider it the first engagement gift I have for the two of you," the old man said. "Gotta run, I've got a date with the ladies Pilates class at the gym!"

Watching the old man bound off, Akane looked confused by his cryptic words, and the look of near wonder on Ranma's face didn't help.

For his part, Ranma drew close to Kuno who had retrieved his wooden weapon and glared at his opponent. "Despite the interruption and attack by your old demon master, a lecherous fiend no doubt the source of your own foul and debase lusts, I still challenge you. I shall end..."

"Pick a finger?" Ranma interrupted asking. "Pick the single finger with which I will beat you."

"I take them all!" Kuno cried as he swung his bokken, and found it stopped by a pinkie.

"The moxibustion of ultimate weakness!" Ranma declared.

"What?" Akane asked.

"It's like a pressure point. A powerful one. That can seal a man's strength," Ranma explained. "Kuno, until it is undone, you have the strength of a baby."

With a casual throw, Ranma tossed his book bag at Kuno's chest, toppling the senior student to the ground under its weight.

Walking over, Ranma picked the bag up. "Man, I'm kind of surprised. I want to feel bad for you because it really sucked when the old fart did it to me. But no, all your strength came from magic, so you aren't losing anything you earned. You can challenge me again when you get cured, okay?"

Akane looked down at the gobsmacked Kuno as he struggled to get up, before turning her eyes to her fiancé. "What's the cure?"

"It's just a counterpoint, and I went through hell trying to get it," Ranma declared, giving a shiver. "So good luck."

Seeing the shiver, Akane visualized Ranma struggling up a mountain fighting ghosts and demons.

Ranma shook his head as he flashed through the memory of trying to escape a sleeping Ukyo's arms before Ryoga killed him in his weakened state. Still, it had gotten Ryoga angry enough to help him learn the Hiryu Shoten Ha.

* * *

Hinako laid the test down on Ranma's desk. "Better, Mr Saotome," she said simply as she continued to Akane behind her.

"Excellent, Akane-chan," the teacher said more warmly, as she placed her student's exam sheet on the desk.

Turning around, Ranma looked at her result. He leaned in to whisper to her. "How is it me getting eighty and you getting ninety five, you get praised? You are only fifteen ahead, not double my score."

Only partly surprised at his attitude, knowing he was proud of what was a high mark for him, Akane shook her head. "Do you want the fact or the truth?"

Frowning, Ranma looked confused. "Huh?"

"The fact is that if we think of it as how many we got wrong, you got wrong four times as many as I did. The truth is she wants to marry my father. If you can make her want to marry one of your parents, you can get the praise and be called 'Ranma-chan' constantly."

Shaking his head, Ranma whispered back, "Nah, that's cool."

The ringing of the lunch bell cut into their conversation, Ranma following as Akane led the way out into the school yard.

Behind them, Gosunkugi bit his lower lip, seeing that Akane was with Ranma as nearly always. He had been working up the will to ask the martial artist for love advice, but with Akane at his side, it was awkward, to say the least.

With a deep breath, Gosunkugi walked up, and turned straight around as Yuka and Sayuri met up with the pair.

"Ranma," Yuka asked. "When and where were you born?"

"Huh? Um, Japan and on the nineteenth of this month."

Frowning but writing down what he had said, Yuka continued. "But where in Japan and what time of day?"

"Not like I was there to know," Ranma said, before correcting himself. "I mean, I would a been there but not like I remember it."

Akane grinned, shaking her head. "I'll ask his mother and get back to you, Yuka."

* * *

With too little a lead as he opened the gate, Ranma dodged around Akane's shoving hands, opening the way for her to dart through first.

Barely slowing her run as she rushed for the front door, Akane glanced back to see how close Ranma was behind her. Dumping her skates inelegantly, she was only a second in front of Ranma in kicking off her shoes and moving for the hall through the house, the racing for the furo.

Knowing Ranma had let her take the lead at the gate, Akane knew that only meant he was going to cheat somehow.

The second the shadow passed over her head, she jabbed a hand up, and kicked backwards, expecting either her fiancé to be the shadow or to be using it to distract her to pass her by. Anything goes.

Ranma was surprised by the dual strike, stepping around her kick by a hairs breath. Her punch had caught in his shirt, which he had launched over her head in hopes of dropping and wrapping it around her, but she was fast enough to twist and wrap it around his wrists and lock them together.

Off balanced by her own attacks, Akane fell and brought Ranma down on her with a clatter.

Swallowing noisily, Akane looked into Ranma's eyes for a long moment, feeling her body react to her shirtless fiancé lying on top of her. Ranma slowly shifted back, pink faced but unable to take his eyes off his fiancée's.

A small cough from up the hall made Akane's eyes widen and she rolled onto her stomach to look at her sister's slippers. She slowly looked up to see Kasumi's unhappy frown.

"Ranma, please go and use the furo. I need to talk to my sister for a moment."

"Right," Ranma nervously stated to the glaring, brown-eyed, young woman as he got to his feet.

For her part, Akane pushed up to standing quickly. "Do you want to do this in the hall or in private?"

* * *

Opening the door to her bedroom, Kasumi frowned as Akane walked stiffly inside and sat on the edge of the bed.

Shutting the door, Kasumi calmly walked to the desk chair and turned it to demurely sit and face her angry sister, realizing she would have to handle Akane carefully or she would fight against whatever she said rather than listen to her point.

Placing her hands down in her lap, Kasumi looked at her sister. "Akane-chan, I'm sorry I have been sticking my nose into your private life with Ranma."

Blinking in surprise, Akane tried to shift gears as Kasumi apologized rather than criticized her. Deflating, she smiled slightly for Kasumi.

"It's okay, I know you're just trying to protect me. It's just very frustrating at the moment."

Kasumi pursed her lips. "I can understand a little of how you feel, Akane-chan. Would you like to talk about it?"

"You're not going to go on about how Ranma and I shouldn't have done what we did?"

A twinge of a smile touched Kasumi's face. "I'm not mother, Akane. But I have always been scared that without her you or Nabiki, and to be fair I always thought it would be Nabiki, would be tempted to be reckless if you ever fell in love."

Holding up her hand to forestall Akane from interrupting, Kasumi tried to smile reassuringly but her eyes were wet. "Please forgive me, Akane, but I am just so scared that I have let others influence you, scared I didn't protect you as mother would have. I can't help but wonder if training with Grandfather Happosai eroded your judgment, or if Aunty pushed you while you stayed with her and Ranma."

"No, they didn't," Akane defended. "I mean some of the training with Grandfather was... I saw and read stuff I never even heard of, but he likes to talk about it, that's all. He never tried anything or tried to make me do anything that wasn't for the art. Aunty obviously wants me to be more feminine and such, and part of that was for Ranma but... it's him. I know I am safe with him. That nothing is wrong with him."

Red-faced at what she was admitting, Akane shrugged. "Don't you feel like that with Dr Tofu?"

"Tofu and I... we have a different path," Kasumi said.

Akane looked at her sister, but wisely didn't say the thoughts in her head, 'Didn't sound that different on Christmas Eve, Sis.'

Kasumi ignored the look to continue. "Tofu, after all, isn't a teenage boy."

"But neither is Ranma," Akane put in defensively. "He could go after any girl, but he is with me for more than just what we did."

Licking her lips, Kasumi nodded. "So your training has only been training?"

Rolling her eyes, Akane nodded. "I wish we could do more. Sometimes, even while sparring, just hitting him... I want more. I have to try not to even think about it. It is just so frustrating knowing I could probably push him to break his word again. It is so frustrating knowing we have been together so long but the only time I even got to kiss him was when I thought I was losing him or when I was possessed. It is so frustrating to have him so near but I can't kiss him when he says something sweet, or even something irritating."

Kasumi nodded but didn't interrupt hoping just talking about it might help Akane keep her control.

"I can only even touch him most of the time in practice. I am too nervous to even ask Ranma for the massage he owes me, the way it affects me..." Akane's words trailed off as a smile lit her face. "I got it, I can massage Ranma! I need to call Sena!"

In the blink of an eye her sister ran out of the room, leaving a frown on Kasumi's face.

* * *

Akane cautiously knocked on the door to the downstairs spare bedroom which housed Happosai. Wincing that she missed Sena on the phone as Tofu's sister had already left work, Akane had no choice for who to turn to for advice.

"Grandfather?"

"Akane-chan? What brings you down here? Doesn't your new teacher have any positions for you?" the old man said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. The aged master put down the scroll he was reading from, obscuring Akane from getting more than a glance at the broken ying-yang design in pieces on the floor.

"Grandfather, I was hoping you might have some training scrolls for massaging."

"I thought Ranma was already proficient with that," Happosai asked.

"He is, but I want to massage him. Do you have any scrolls?"

With big eyes, wet with tears, Happosai smiled gently before springing over to his collection of toys, bras, trash, and training scrolls.

Pulling out and discarding several he formed a small pile. "Learn well my student, and your new master will be pleased."

Red faced, Akane figured it was smarter to simply take the scrolls and go study rather than deny any connotations he put in the words 'master' or pleasing him.

Back in her room, Akane wasn't surprised to find most of the material in the scrolls was far from appropriate till after the promise was over. Her eyes widened seeing one she would still question using after they were married.

The scroll she left till last was in its own ornate tube, with jade screw caps that took her a long moment to unscrew.

Unfurling the scroll, Akane only read the opening line, 'Super Happy Ending'.

She immediately rolled it back up to feed it back into its case. It took her a moment to realize that just screwing in the ornate jade end cap made her feel dirty and think of Ranma...

Half tempted to immediately return it to Happosai, Akane looked at the tube once more before hiding it in her closet. "After we're married."

Returning to the other scrolls, she started to review everything about massaging the rest of his body, with only her hands, and with her clothes on.

* * *

Kasumi frowned as her sister blushed again, glancing over at Ranma at the dinner table.

For his part, Ranma was too busy trying to devour the yakiniku his mother had cooked for the two families, not surprisingly because the diced meat dish was another of Ranma's favorites. Kasumi pursed her lips as she wondered how much of Nodoka's holding onto her son was influencing Akane's drive to get her hands on Ranma without making him break his tenuous promise of no intimacy.

Excusing herself towards the end of dinner, Kasumi moved into the kitchen to bring out some daifuku she had prepared. Transferring them from a single plate, she arranged the small round bean filled cakes on separate plates on a tray before bringing the tray and more hot green tea back out.

Returning to the families, Kasumi could almost hear the tension brewing.

"I just think Ranma should come upstairs for something," Akane said nervously glancing at her father and Uncle Genma.

"Akane-chan, I just thought Ranma would like to watch the movie on the television with his mother," Nodoka replied.

Ranma seemed torn, at least before his eyes set on the tray Kasumi was bringing.

Kneeling, Kasumi passed her father a plate first, letting Nodoka lean forward to appropriately take a plate to give her husband. Before Aunty could reach for a second, Kasumi placed the next plates before the older woman and her son, and then served her sisters and finally herself.

Smiling at the return of tranquility over the sweets, Kasumi frowned as Genma finished his two cakes in two gulps, and snagged one more from Ranma's plate.

"Hey, old man!" Ranma complained, leaning back out of reach as he finished his plate quickly.

Nodoka finished her own portion more demurely, but before she could take up the argument for Ranma to stay and watch television with her, Kasumi spoke. "Akane, I laid out a towel and some of Ranma's massage oils in your room."

Nodoka pursed her lips as Ranma looked to Akane. "Ya want that massage I owe ya, Akane?"

Swallowing her dessert, Akane shook her head. "I thought I might give you a back rub before the fight tomorrow, if you want?"

"Yes, daughter, you must help your partner relax so he can protect you tomorrow," Soun said quickly.

"See lad, this is the type of woman you want. One who'll make you feel good," Genma added.

Ranma marveled at the way Akane could change octaves mid growl.

Nodoka glared at her husband. "Perhaps it is nice to have a fiancé who inspires a woman," she said pointedly. Nodoka was so surprised when Genma glanced pointedly back at her that she had to turn away from him.

Nabiki began to stand and excuse herself when Kasumi glanced at her. "Thank you for helping me with the dishes, Nabiki-chan."

"What? But I..." biting her tongue, Nabiki smiled as sweet as saccharine. "Sure Kasumi."

Nodoka gave Akane a nod to head off, then turned to the fathers. "I believe you two were going to play shogi tonight?"

Genma began to stand but was cut off by Soun who didn't seen the byplay between his oldest friend and his friend's wife. "Sit down Saotome. Let's play."

* * *

"Thanks for this Akane," Ranma said with a yawn as he took off his shirt.

"I want to Ranma. I know it helped me to relax when you gave me a rub down."

"Heh," Ranma chuckled. "Didn't relax me too much when I did it. I had to tell myself not to be thinking inappropriate stuff about you. We were just friends then after all."

Akane blinked in surprise, tearing her eyes from his chest as he made such a frank admission before slumping his body down on the towel on her bed. Turning to the notes she had made and laying out one of the scrolls that had a body map on her desk, Akane picked up a plastic bottle of sweet smelling massage oil. Finally she found her voice. "You did?"

Nodding and giving another yawn, Ranma didn't look up. "Sometimes. I mean I didn't want to blow our friendship. You were the first girl not out to kill or marry me. I just figured Shampoo had put an aphrocadilac in that ramen she brought when she interrupted the first massage I gave you."

Ignoring his mispronouncing of aphrodisiacs and her body feeling like it had had some, Akane focused on keeping her voice level. "Why?"

"Cause of all the stuff I was dreaming about you."

Surprised by his candor, Akane squeezed too hard, oil jetting up from the plastic bottle into her face.  
"Something wrong?" Ranma asked, as he heard her coughing.

"No," Akane croaked as she used a towel to wipe her face, knowing the taste of the lotion was on her tongue to stay now.

Turning back, Akane applied lotion to her hands and rubbed them together easily with the slick lotion. Moving beside her bed, she finally got her hands on Ranma.

Groaning in pleasure as his fiancée's fingers brushed over his shoulders and back, Ranma smiled. "That's good. Go a little harder."

Smiling at the tone of his voice, and the feel of his warm skin under her hands, Akane briefly noticed the sweat on her own skin, passing it off as because of the small space heater in the corner of the room quietly whirling. Her eyes darted over marks on his skin, breaking the smoothness of the skin over his muscles, a few old scars and even a couple small burns.

Moving down to his lower back, Akane licked her dry lips. "So are you missing Bokuto high?"

Ranma's voice was muffled by the pillow his face was against. "You're kidding right? Your school has it own arena."

Shaking her head with a smile, Akane kept rubbing into his flesh. "I think that is more the unique stupidity of our school."

"Maybe, but I like it."

Rolling her own shoulder, Akane found that reaching over him from the side was wearing on her right arm more than her left. Biting her lip, Akane kept working. "Do you like this? Am I doing it wrong?"

"It's fine," Ranma said. "Very relaxing."

* * *

"It's your move Saotome."

"I said, it's your move Saotome."

Nodoka looked at her husband quizzically as Soun repeated himself. Picking up the silk wrapped bundle that held the Saotome family sword, she poked her husband in the side.

Genma fell over sideways and gave a snore.

"Oh my," Kasumi said in surprise at Genma's reaction, earning a look from Nabiki who heard something in her tone.

Frowning, Nodoka stood and checked Genma's pulse. Satisfied, she looked at Soun. "Soun, I think we might let him sleep here tonight."

Soun nodded, still surprised and stood. "How strange. I'll get him the spare futon we can roll him onto."

As the older man went down the hall, Nabiki glanced at her sister. "Sis, did you do that?"

Hearing this Nodoka looked at the elder daughter of the family.

"No, well yes. Akane has been feeling some frustration with the situation with Ranma and I thought that some sleeping powder in his dessert would keep things... relaxed. I didn't realize it would be so potent or that Ranma would let Uncle Genma steal some."

Nabiki glanced at the older sleeping man. "You know Sis, that is an extreme form of birth control. And one I just can't really recommend."

Turning her eyes on her younger sister, Kasumi frowned. "Why not?"

"Sis, the only thing stopping those two from 'breaking Akane's bed' is the promise Ranma made. You just left our horny, frustrated, baby sister with the half naked object of her affections unable to resist or even remember anything she does to him."

Kasumi stood suddenly and made for the stairs.

* * *

"Oh my," Kodachi whispered to her companion as she peeked in the window. "Come beloved, here is an image sure to delight tomorrows audience."

With a grin on his face, Mikado edged up the ladder beside his fiancée, glad she was being quiet and didn't try to repeat the time she tried to laugh her signature laugh in a whisper. The doctor wrote a paper for a medical journal about that bruised larynx.

Peeking through the curtain into Akane Tendo's bedroom, Mikado was surprised to see Akane Tendo giving her fiancé a back rub. Raising the camera, he began to take photos.

* * *

"So what was Yuka wanting with my birthday time and stuff?" Ranma asked tiredly.

"Oh that, Yuka likes astrology," Akane replied, pressing her fingers into each muscle.

"What like stars and and the moon?"

Shaking her head, Akane stretched forward to rub the back of his neck with her hands. "Not astronomy, but the zodiac, the position of the stars and how it can tell our true nature and futures. Like we were both born in the year of the Tiger. That's why you are so stubborn but have a courageous side too."

"You don't believe in that stuff do you?" Ranma asked with a yawn into her pillow.

"I don't know. If so many people believe it for so long it has to have some truth to it. But Yuka used to be right into it, she even learned all the western astrology with birth dates and star signs and such. My bet is she is doing our charts, to see if we are a good match. She hasn't done those in a couple years." Akane's fingers softly focused on his ears and the sides of his face for a moment as her voice turned wistful.

"Why did she stop?"

"She started dating a senior, but her chart said they wouldn't work together, so she stopped doing charts. Guess the chart was right because he only asked her out to try and get her older sisters attention." Akane sighed.

"Did she do a chart for you and any guys?" Ranma asked with closed eyes.

With a little laugh, Akane put her leg over the young man face down on her bed, straddling his waist. "You getting jealous?" she managed to get out before turning pink at her new position. Her fingers got firmer into his shoulders as she redoubled her efforts.

"So what if our charts," Ranma began before yawning but still able to put some mocking tone into his words, "say we wouldn't be a good match."

Akane smiled wantonly, leaning forward onto his back to whisper in his ear, "Then I guess I'll just have to keep you as a lover."

Leaning back up, she waited for him to react to her words and look up at her.

"Zzzzzzz..."

"Ranma?"

"Zzzzzz..."

"Ranma!" Akane said angrily, climbing off her fiancé to roll him up on his side, seeing he was indeed asleep.

"You idiot!" Akane whispered, a smile tugging at her lips despite her quenched hormones. Reaching down, she took a blanket to cover his bare chest before she climbed in with him.

Ranma snorted and rolled onto his back, pressing on her leg as she straddled him she rolled too and his arm grabbing hers and dragging her down.

Blushing and struggling, Akane managed to look up at his peaceful sleeping face, recalling a similar position she was in months ago when Nabiki tricked her into his bedroom and pushed her onto his sleeping form. At least there was no witness this time.

As Ranma's breath tingled over her neck Akane realized she had to get out of his arms before she did something stupid like stay and make him break his promise.

The door to her room banged open as a breathless Kasumi barged in, but before she could speak, the bedroom window slid open with a whoosh and cold air billowed the curtains.

"Hohohohohohoho!" Kodachi cried as she jumped into her old nemesis's bedroom. "My, my, I see you don't believe in the old adage of no naughty on nights before big competitions, Akane dear."

Struggling to get free, Akane was only thankful there was no camera this time. "This isn't what it looks like, he is asleep."

-click-

The click of the shutters focused Akane's attention to Mikado, still on the ladder at her window. With a growl, Akane grabbed the lotion bottle up and squeezed it hard at the blond young man. Dropping the camera on its neck strap, Mikado used one gloved hand to stop the stream from getting in his face or hair.

"Akane," Kasumi hissed, making her sister look down to see that Ranma's hug on her was now more intimately around her chest. "Wake up idiot!" she yelled, breaking out of his grasp with brute strength.

"He can't," Kasumi admitted with a guilty voice. "He had sleeping powder in his dessert."

Kodachi glared at Akane, "And you criticized my first date with Mikado."

"I didn't drug him," Akane defended, straightening her clothes as Nodoka and Nabiki joined Kasumi at the door.

"Neither did I... on our first date," Kodachi shot back.

"You ordered Sasuke to," Akane spat back. "I didn't ask Kasumi to."

"Why are you here, Miss...?" Nodoka said over all of them.

Kodachi posed for the older woman, seeing the similar features from Ranma's cursed form's face. "I take it you are Ranma-chan's mother? I am Kodachi Kuno, a friend of your son and your daughter. Hohohohohoho!"

Letting the laughter die down, Nodoka didn't waver, "And why are you here tonight?"

"Why I am visiting Akane-chan. More than once before when we have had challenges we have fought in all fairness before the battle. I thought she might be lonely without a little warm up for tomorrow. I had little clue that she had broken out of her prudish shell with a new form of warm up."

"I was only giving him a backrub," Akane restated before turning on Kasumi. "Why did you drug him?"

"I just wanted to make sure the mood in here remained... relaxed," her older sister explained.

From the window, Mikado smirked. "I know being with my beautiful fiancée relaxes me." He touched his clean gloved hand to his lips and blew a kiss to Kodachi.

Holding onto the ladder now with a glove covered in massage lotion, and not paying attention to how much of the slick substance had sprayed down on his shoes when he blocked Akane's previous spray, Mikado slipped.

Hearing a clunk for each rung Mikado's chin hit on the way down to the cold ground, Kodachi rushed to the window.

Not caring about the young man, Akane moved behind Kodachi and shoved. Kodachi went out but not before she flung her arm back, wafting a black rose under Akane's nose.

Landing lightly on her feet, Kodachi looked up at Akane, standing paralyzed at the window. "Remember this time Akane-chan, you might have gotten the best of me in our previous matches, but tonight I have you and your partner vulnerable and walk away. I look forward to victory tomorrow. Hohohohohoho!"

Checking her fiancé's chin for damage, Kodachi smiled and helped him to his feet, moving to the street before the pair roller skated for home.

* * *

Akane lay awake and very uncomfortable on Ranma's futon in the guest room. She didn't mind her sisters leaving Ranma in her bed and dragging her paralyzed form here, but she couldn't sleep. Between still being paralyzed and the smell of Ranma's pillow, she wondered if she would ever calm down enough get to sleep before dawn.

The sound of footsteps came from the hall outside but passed to head clumsily down the stairs. She briefly wondered if Nabiki had gone to get a drink of water or the like when the distant sound of the toilet flushing came faintly through the old house.

The footsteps returned, but this time the door to the guest room slid open, and Ranma's legs briefly came into her view as he stumbled inside.

Akane's eyes widened as Ranma pulled the blanket back, and climbed in with her. In a daze Akane felt him spoon in behind her and re-cover them with the blanket.

Goose bumps rippled over Akane's skin as his breath washed over the back of her neck as he began to snore almost immediately.

She was asleep shortly after.

* * *

Nabiki licked her lips as she looked down at her sister sleeping with a boy.

Tearing her slightly jealous eyes from the way Akane's fiancé was spooned so effortlessly beside the sleeping girl, she looked to Kasumi who was glaring at Aunty.

"I suppose you think this is appropriate?" Kasumi hissed at the older woman looking down on the sleeping pair...

"When I went to sleep Akane was paralyzed and alone on that futon, while Ranma was drugged and asleep in her bed," Nodoka faintly spoke with disapproval. "I don't think we can lay blame till we know what happened, Kasumi-chan."

Poking her sister in the side to get her attention, Nabiki tilted her head. "Why are we whispering? Why haven't you just woken them?"

"Because the last time I tried that I got pulled down on them," Kasumi hissed testily.

With an unladylike shrug, Nabiki stepped near and pinched Akane's nose closed.

With a choking snort, Akane shook her head free of Nabiki's fingers, and opened her eyes. She gave a long groan. "Way to ruin a nice dream, Sis," she said tiredly, not yet registering the other two women.

"Is that 'dream' drooling on your neck?" Nabiki asked with a sly smirk.

Shifting onto her back, Akane looked in momentary surprise at the slumbering face behind her, but the events before she drifted to sleep last night rushed into recollection as Ranma mumbled and snuggled against her side, resting his face on her shoulder. "Sorry, but in his drugged state he went to the bathroom and stumbled back in here. I was still paralyzed. Nothing happened."

Kasumi glared while trying to find the right words, leaving time for Nabiki to pipe in with a teasing jab. "You don't look sorry, Sis. Try not to smile like the cat that slept with the canary."

Rolling her eyes, Akane didn't move from Ranma's warm arms. "It is close, but it isn't really intimate. Nothing happened. We were just sleeping."

Nodoka nodded in agreement but Kasumi shook her head. "And his arms have been around you all night? How is that not intimate?"

"He was asleep," Akane defended, trying to glare back up at her standing sister but unable to wipe the smile from her lips.

"I think we can easily see how intimate this is," Nabiki offered. "A simple experiment."

Kneeling down, Nabiki leaned close to Akane's face, before speaking in a breathy voice like Akane's. "Shut up."

With an oddly muffled "Akane" Ranma's grip tightened. Akane blushed as she felt Ranma's hand sliding under her pajama top...

"Hah!" Nabiki said at the reaction Ranma had to the words she had been told Akane had used many times the night the pair had made love. "It's like Pavlov's dog."

* * *

Proceeding through the gates of St Hebereke Girl's High, the still smiling Akane led Ranma away from her angry sister Kasumi, her teasing sister Nabiki, and her smugly proud future mother-in-law, as well as their oblivious fathers.

Waving as the pair headed for the change rooms, the rest of the families started moving along with the students of St Hebereke and Furinkan High, as well as a few parents and Martial Arts Ice Skating fans, towards the large school pool with stadium seating turned ice rink.

Behind them, three attractive girls were turning the heads of a few of the boys coming for the show, only to have the attention stop at the angry look on the face of the middle one, carrying an over sized spatula on her back, and glaring at the back of the two families entering the building ahead.

* * *

"So what exactly happened last night while I was asleep?" Ranma whispered as they entered the building. So far all he knew was Kasumi was mad.

"Mikado and Kodachi attacked but I took care of it," Akane said without looking at him. "I'll tell you everything after the match. Here we are."

A printed page taped to a door was the sign for the "Boy's changing room." A similar sign with the other gender marked a second door.

With a nod, both turned the handle and entered, Akane's eyes were wary from experience, Ranma's from tales of Akane's experiences with Kodachi in the past.

Looking inside, Ranma immediately saw Mikado, wearing only his tights, and posing in front of a full length mirror.

Closing the door behind him, Ranma moved to a position to get changed. "Hey, Golden Boy."

"That is Golden Star," Mikado growled, turning from the mirror. "I see you weren't smart enough to shamefully bow out and forfeit. Now you get to lose in front of everybody."

Whistling as he got changed, Ranma gave the blond young man a grin. "You may not have heard this, but Ranma Saotome, does not lose."

A flash of light went through Mikado's dark eyes. "No, you just come in second a lot."

"Says who?" Ranma said, dropping his casual demeanor.

"Well, I'll always be Akane's first kiss. How is it having sloppy seconds?"

The dig hit Ranma more than he wanted to acknowledge, but rather than dwell, he went on the offensive. "Is all that makeup on your chin to cover the bruise or your zits."

Turning back to the mirror, Mikado assessed the efforts he had made to cover the purpling on his chin from the rungs of the ladder in last night's fiasco. While refusing the existence of any zits, his handsome eyes searched for those as well. "The only people who will be close enough to see my bruise will be my partner, and yours."

"What do you mean by that?" Ranma asked with a frown.

"This is the second time Akane has entered the rink for war, so it is only right that I remind her of what a real man tastes like," Mikado said. He raised a finger to point at Ranma. "I swear during his match, I will steal Akane Tendo's lips."

"What did you say!"

* * *

"What did you say!"

"Hohohohohohoho!" Kodachi laughed loudly as she smiled at her rival. "While Mikado and I are true to each other, on the ice we would not avoid such a powerful attack as Mikado's kiss attack. It has won so many of our matches. While so few of our previous opponents could rival the masculinity of my Mikado, your partner is a special case. Today, I shall use the kiss attack to steal Ranma Saotome's lips!"

"Is kissing and such all you ever think of?" Akane demanded angrily.

"It is all my fiancé thinks of, and I deny him nothing," Kodachi replied with a look.

* * *

Konatsu and Junko followed Ukyo as the angry young woman directed the way to seats a row behind the two small families ahead of them. Ukyo had been withholding her battle aura, but neither the cross-dressing ninja, Konatsu, nor the martial artist, Junko, dared hope it was her mood improving, knowing it was just her desire to not be noticed by Genma, Nodoka, or Akane's family.

Sitting down, both turned their eyes from Ukyo's white knuckled grip on her spatula, to the ice rink as the lights dimmed and spotlights lit up one of the entrance gates.

A feminine voice rang out over the PA. "Welcome students of St Hebereke and Furinkan High and guests, to this exhibition grudge match. Now introducing, our undefeated Martial Arts Ice Skating team, Black Gold!"

With undeniable grace, a pair of skaters entered the ice, moving clockwise around each other and around the rink as the audience of students cheered for them. The dark haired Kodachi's porcelain skin shone under the lights against the black leotard she wore, with some discrete glittering gold trim on her arms, as she glided in and out of the arms of her partner. Her blond partner wore black tights but with a golden jacket with a black rose image over his heart, Mikado's smile shining brighter than his outfit as the pair skated under the spotlights.

Projectors up among the spotlights started, creating images onto the ice. Flames in the wake of the skating pair gave way to still images of them skating, and past victories at the moment of the finishing blow appearing behind them as they glided on.

* * *

Ranma shifted awkwardly as he pulled at the fighting outfit his mother and Kasumi had made for him. Though based on the black and red fighting outfit from the Juuban tournament, the black slacks had been exchanged for tights that he felt left little to the imagination. His red jacket was tighter too, but still with the rearing black stallion, the Chinese style ties now purely for show.

Moving beside Ranma, Akane dropped her black leather jacket to show off the same tight red top like Ranma's she had worn to the Juuban tournament, exposing her midrift before a black skirt covered her waist. She had some skin tone tights on underneath in deference to the cold but her pink cheeks when he managed to drag his eyes up to her face made Ranma think she felt she wasn't wearing much. Not that he was complaining.

Feeling Ranma take her hand, Akane glanced down at the black bracers both wore on their forearms, her eyes narrowing on the matching red and dark blue hair braid bracelets both wore, imagining she could feel the silver ring dangling under his wrist over hers.

Turning to the other pair doing their entrance lap, Akane frowned at the images appearing behind the pair, and quickly guessed what images they might show of them. "Ranma, you should know that jerk, Mikado, had a camera last night. They probably plan to show shots of me massaging you to try and throw us off our game."

With a shrug, Ranma glanced at his teammate. "So, all the guys in the crowd will be envious. Let's kick some ass."

"Ranma, wait," Akane began to say but he was already pulling her out onto the ice as the spotlights turned on them.

Taking to the ice with some speed, both smiled brightly for the audience they couldn't see in the darkness as the auditorium PA announced them.

"And here are the challengers, the first time pairing of Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo!"

With a loud cheering from the crowd, Akane and Ranma smiled and waved, Akane glancing at the face of Ranma eating up the attention. Her eyes turned to the ice ahead as the projectors put different images on the ice. The first image of was of the pair of them running towards the school in their uniforms, obviously taken without their permission or knowledge. Ranma shrugged to her as he pulled her around, cradling her to his side as they skated over the image.

The next image appeared ahead, and was obviously taken from her window into her room last night. The crowd of mainly girls in audience gave a low 'Woooo' at seeing Ranma face down on a bed, Akane rubbing his bare back.

"See, envy," Ranma whispered between smiling teeth.

Wincing and knowing it was coming, Akane saw the next image appear ahead, this one of her straddling her fiancé as she was massaging him. Prepared, she was able to keep Ranma from stumbling on his skates.

Ranma frowned as envy surged inside himself, unable to recall Akane doing such last night as he drifted off to sleep because of Kasumi's sleeping powder dessert.

"Good girl, Akane! Your mother would be proud! Daddy loves you!"

Ranma managed to catch the red-faced Akane and spin her in his arms to cover her stumbling as her father's voice rang out through the auditorium at seeing her forward actions.

Finally a last image appeared, this one showing a struggling Akane in Ranma's arms in that bed.

Genma's voice this time joined Soun's.

"That's my boy! You..."

-bwang-

* * *

-bwang-

Kasumi had been wondering who was growling behind her, but that was answered when an over-sized spatula swung over her head to impact the skull of the proud father Genma cheering his son.

"Ukyo-chan," Nodoka said in greeting as if the enraged girl attacking her husband was an everyday occurrence. "I am surprised to see you here supporting your fiancé."

Resisting the urge to brain the smiling older woman she hoped to have for an in-law, Ukyo couldn't manage a smile in return. "I wish I could support him, but now I see him photographed dragging that hussy to bed. Or are you going to claim this is another misunderstanding?"

Kasumi stood up, trying to get between Nodoka and Ukyo. "It's my fault. He was asleep because I drugged him."

"Oh, and he grabbed her while he was asleep?" Ukyo demanded in a low voice, glaring first at the nearly crying Kasumi then at Nodoka for an answer.

Nodoka simply looked at her, "I assume you recall when you were 'asleep' and dragged Ranma into your sleeping roll when he was afflicted with the Moxibustion of Ultimate Weakness?"

Ukyo frowned, recalling how she held Ranma down when he had been reduced to the strength of a baby, the dolt of a fiancé too involved with his issues of being weak to take advantage of the situation with her before Ryoga showed up like he had a claim on her.

Seeing Ukyo pause, Nodoka seized on the opportunity, "Perhaps Ukyo-chan, you'd take your seat and we can get back to watching the match and after you can ask Ranma on his honor if he was awake when he grabbed Akane-chan. Or if he has touched her at all in his memory since he last saw you?"

Nabiki smirked at Nodoka's choice of words but knew the older woman had no intention of letting her even ask a question her son was stupid enough to spill the beans over.

* * *

"Happodaikirin!" Ranma requested, even as he summoned his passions. His confidence based attack would have been hindered by the public embarrassment but these images only fed his plan.

"I don't have that many of them," Akane warned as she watched him gather his ki like a pinkish glow between his hands.

"Not the 'Stone', just use the rest as fireworks. Muteki Kurohyou Me-To Revised!" Ending on his attack's battlecry, Ranma released his blast across the surface of the ice with a wave of heat. Scorching over the ice, gouts of steam raised up off the surface.

"Happodaikirin!" Akane cried, tossing lit firecrackers into the air.

Between the smoke, steam, and flashes of light, the images being projected became unfocused and indistinct, Akane smirking in success as 'Boo's' came from the crowd, was caught off-guard when Ranma started to lift her up not unlike how Mikado had carried Kodachi in the ring. Hissing his name, her eyes widened just ahead of them, Ranma not seeing the danger as he glared at Mikado.

Ranma looked up as Akane tilted herself to fall behind him then kicked him in the behind. Before he could understand why Akane was attacking him, his body was already raised up, his palm on Akane's bringing him over her.

"You idiot," she hissed as she tilted and danced oddly yet gracefully on the ice. "You melted the ice, your skates would stop the instant you hit the puddle!"

Ranma's lips twitched with a smirk as he found it oddly easier to balance upside down on Akane's hand than on his skates. He was tempted to suggest that they untwine their fingers and let him balance on their fingertips, but discarded it seeing Mikado and Kodachi were racing towards them.

* * *

"And the fight begins," called the woman announcer on the PA. "Black Gold are already in bound!"

With perfectly synchronized steps hiding the clacks of four skates digging into the ice to sound as two, Black Gold built speed before linking hands. Spinning around each other once they shot towards Akane and Ranma, before parting to pass on either side of their opponents. Just as they passed both spun around and kicked out.

Synchronized more from Akane being in control, the two anything goes martial artists, countered by the simplicity of Akane using her hand in Ranma's to make him a bat and aim for Kodachi's head like a ball.

Dodging aside, Kodachi sacrificed her kick to be missed by the wielded Ranma, opening a gap for Akane to slide between Black Gold without either side striking the first blow.

Akane grunted as she lifted Ranma enough to drop him as vertically as possible, one hand grabbing his shoulder to help him stick the landing. Sparing a glare for his partner's cautiousness, Ranma hid the worst of his wobble in landing before breaking apart. The pair taking opposite turns weren't surprised to see Black Gold already bearing down on them, their opponents holding arms like doing a waltz as they glided on the ice.

"Hey, Black Gold, free target!" Ranma offered as he turned to clearly pass them on the side away from his partner.

Akane flushed as she turned in, "What are you doing idiot?" she cried.

Kodachi and Mikado smirked at the arrogant invite that aggravated Ranma's own partner. "Why take the obvious..." Mikado began.

"...when we can go for the weak link?" Kodachi finished as the pair turned into the angry Akane.

Breaking apart, this time Black Gold moved to skate past Akane, four slender ribbons reaching between the pair, hand to hand, knee to knee, and a cross formed by one each hand to knee.

Akane had heard of the pair using a ribbon for a trip like this in the past, and almost froze at the approaching net when her instincts took over. Kicking one leg forward and leaning, she used the blade of her skate to cut through the two ribbons right on the X, her head ducking the lowering upper ribbon as she skipped her back leg over the lower.

Her toe clipping the lower ribbon, Akane tilted forward but kept her balance. Shifting her hips she went into a spin to stay upright, bringing her back foot forward as she raked the ice, breaking hard with a shower of ice behind her as she faced her opponents, a small smirk on her face. "You picked the wrong link."

Dropping the ribbons, Black Gold turned in a sharp circle to come back together, skating hard to gain speed towards the now stationary Akane. Mikado smiled white teeth confidently as he goaded, "Says the team who been on the defensive the whole..."

Akane pushed right as the last of the ice she had chipped up thinned to show Ranma rushing in at the high speed he had been building since the instant Mikado and Kodachi had focused on his partner.

Swerving right as Ranma shot towards him, Mikado let Kodachi fall back far enough to be clear, the handsome blond leaving it to the last second to dodge aside, taking a grazing punch to the side as Ranma shot past. "Winner's strike first," Ranma declared as Akane shouted a warning.

With a wicked smile, Kodachi cried her attack, "Black Ice," as she splashed a black liquid on the ice ahead of Ranma.

Briefly wondering how Kodachi managed to squirt oil from the wrist of her outfit, Ranma didn't even try to dodge the bad ice. Figuring it would stop him on the spot or it might make his turning, the weakest of his skating skills, simply harder, and so he jumped over it towards the rink wall and focused on the first ice-skating skill he had 'learned'.

* * *

"Aren't those ribbons and ink cheating?" Konatsu asked, directing the question ahead to the Tendo's and Saotome's rather than his boss who seemed more intent on grinding her teeth.

Soun Tendo nodded, "They are unorthodox but the rules of Martial Arts Ice Skating were initially based on Ice Hockey tools, and never properly defined. I understand it is considered poor form to mar the ice like this with oil, but Ranma-kun did damage the ice making his steam ea..."

"Turn boy!" Genma roared over his friend as his son flashed across the oiled ice towards the wall.

* * *

Lifting one knee and twisting his lower half to impact it sideways, Ranma struck with both hands and his leg, the counter force bouncing him off the rink wall in one of history's most awkward ice skating turns.

Still his speed was high and even Kodachi was barely prepared for him racing towards her so soon after what should have been a damaging blow. With a clacking on the ice she danced backwards taking a serpentine pattern as she built speed, waiting for him to be close enough to commit his direction and she could drive to one side and escape being run over.

A warning call from Mikado was all she had before Akane barreled through from behind, one arm going low to trip up the raven haired girl. As Kodachi hit the ice, Akane reached Ranma, the pair grabbing hands, Ranma's momentum stopping as he swung Akane around him one hundred and eighty degrees to fire her back at Kodachi with even greater speed.

Sliding in front of his downed partner, Mikado made jazz hands at the pair, flittering his fingers, before opening his hands wide as more oil sprayed the ice between them and Akane, forcing her to break off lest she race in unbalanced against two opponents.

With a graceful pull, Kodachi was up in Mikado's arms again and picking up speed as Akane joined Ranma and the two pairs faced off.

With a white smile, Mikado looked at Ranma. "Shall we dance around each other all day or should we handle this ourselves, man to man?"

Akane clamped her fingers on Ranma's flesh too late as her partner broke from holding her to skate in, "Well we know I can out fight you and out dance you, so whatever you want."

"You can think that, but can you do both?" Mikado goaded as the pair skated towards each other, Akane and Kodachi forming a circling vigil around the outside. Just as the pair got close, Mikado cried out his singles finishing move, "Shiryō no Bon Odori"

Ranma's eyes went wide as what Akane had described as this 'Dance of Death' didn't do it justice. Mikado's body blurred as he spun in place faster and faster, coming to appear as most women believed him to be, having a hundred hands, punching and striking out of his vortex of impenetrable assault.

"Michael Jackson no Odori!" Ranma shouted back, stopping just shy of the approaching vortex, his steps appearing to move forward but ever staying inches ahead of the destruction in Mikado's reach. Continuing to Moonwalk on ice skates, Ranma smirked at the confusion on Mikado's face before he snatched one of his opponent's hands out of the whirling dervish like attack.

Frowning at the appearance of what appeared to be a gymnastics club in a sleeve with a fake fist painted on the end, Ranma recalled Akane using a similar trick with boken and shinai in the dojo to appear as if striking hundreds of times with only two hands by juggling the weapons in an offensive display. He also recalled Akane said she had copied that move from Kodachi in Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Stepping quicker to hide her move from Akane by being behind the men from her circling enemy, Kodachi turned in, again pulling out oil to splash behind Ranma as he was backing up. This time she gave her laugh as with a flick of her fingers she set it alight. "Fire and Ice! HOHohohohohohoho!"

Seeing the new danger, Ranma threw the baton in his hand at Mikado, and then thrust his arms back. Recalling his attempt to copy Herb's ki blast flight when snowboarding with Akane, Ranma hoped that at least it would be less of a mistake moving backwards than the high speed that had thrown him clear off the ski run.

Mikado smirked as he felt that he had Ranma trapped, only to have his target fly vertically up like Superman. He was so shocked that he nearly continued into his partners own fire.

With a gasp, Akane skated forward, coming under Ranma who was spinning in the air to the gasps of the crowd. As the announcers complained over the PA at losing count of how many revolutions Ranma made in the air, Akane skated underneath his landing point, and with a grunt tried to catch him before he hurt himself.

Seeing Akane below, Ranma's hands found hers as his skates touched down, and immediately slid from under him. Rolling without releasing Akane's grip, he dragged her over him and came up holding her with Akane's legs wrapped around his waist as they balanced on his skates. Akane blushed at the flush of heat in her body as most of the crowd gave a loud 'Wooo!' at the intimate position.

"Mikado, we can't be out done by a prude, Hohohohohohoho!" Kodachi cried, climbing up into a similar position on her partner. Mikado shifted for the extra weight as his hands supported Kodachi's thighs, and skated at their opponents. Freeing her arms, Kodachi looked into her fiancé's eyes to read his expression for how close they were. Spreading her arms, they went into the spin of their renowned 'Black Rose Spiral'. "Kuro Bara Senpuu!"

Putting Akane down, the pair in black and red made heavy carving sounds as their skates dug in to give them speed and avoid Black Gold's spinning swirling attack, Kodachi's hands out releasing black roses and unseen pollens.

"Get ready for our ranged attack," Ranma cried as he brought out a short handled broom.

Rolling her eyes, Akane refused to announce her attack as she knelt down, her hand bringing out a very special Happodaikirin. Bigger, though no where near the size of one of Happosai's truly massive firecrackers, this one was larger than her own head, and had a heavy stone base. With a bowling motion, Akane released the firecracker onto the ice, beginning a rumbling sound even as the wick sparked on its top.

Skating in, Ranma set the broom ahead of the stone, brushing the ice as if he cared how smooth the ice was as he watched the wick burn down.

Turning their spiraling attack form back towards Ranma and Akane, Black Gold slowed their spin to watch for this counter attack, as Ranma stepped behind the stone.

"Anything Goes Martial Arts Curling, Burning the Stone!"

Using the name of the curling foul where the broom touches the stone, Ranma swung the broom from behind like a hockey stick, and with a crack sent the explosive directly into their opponents.

Tilting back onto her hand to cartwheel back to her skates, Kodachi broke apart from Mikado to try to get apart from this counter attack but both were impacted still with a hard shove of force. Kodachi sprawled onto the ice as Mikado wobbled taking a long moment to regain his balance.

Ranma and Akane barreled in on the downed opponent, Ranma grabbing Akane's hands to slingshot her around him and across to the ice. "Guess you won't be getting that kiss, Kodachi!" Akane cried as she dropped knees first into her.

Two hands grabbed Akane by her armpits, pulling her up just before she could reach Kodachi. "Did someone say kiss?" Mikado asked in his smarmy voice as he pulled her properly into his arms.

Pulling up her arm to block Mikado from getting close enough to kiss, Akane felt Mikado twist her in his arms and his breath on her cheek as he moved close.

"Bzzzzz."

Dropped on her rump on the ice, Akane looked up as Mikado spun clear of her partner wielding the electric hair clippers Principal Kuno had given him. "Touch her again and I'll shave you bald, Sleaze-bag," Ranma threatened.

Two lithe black sleeved arms slid around Ranma's torso and turned him around. "Come now," Kodachi said breathlessly at Ranma, "The kiss attack is perfectly valid. Let me show you."

* * *

Nodoka raised an eyebrow at the forwardness of Ranma's opponent, only to be distracted as Ukyo stood up behind her for the second time.

Fortunately for both women, a cry of pain made them wince from their focus as on the ice Akane was fast enough to not only get back to her skates, but to grab Ranma by his arms. With strength belying her petite form, Akane stretched Ranma's arms back in their sockets to pull him up from Kodachi's grip, the raven haired girl left with only a grip on his ankles.

Ukyo smiled hopefully as some in the crowd chanted 'Couple Cleaver' even as Mikado snatched up Kodachi by the ankles and pull her to stand above him even and he began to spin.

* * *

f"This the couple cleaver?" Ranma asked as he was spun by his ankles over ten feet in the air.

"Do you think?" Akane snapped rhetorically as she was spun with her hands in his.

From below, Mikado crowed. "Feel the pain, Saotome. You have to let her go to save yourself! Drop your fiancée!"

"I ain't letting go so how about we show you another option! Akane get angry!" Ranma cried as he pulled the feeling of near death into his heart, his body chilling as he entered the soul of ice.

The wind began to form as Akane focused on Happosai, only to find her anger sliding into a memory of him finally removing Kuno as a bother with the Ultimate Weakness point. Even trying to focus on thoughts of Ranma's admitting that she kissed him in the mountains that she didn't remember faded with the memory comfort of him spooning up to her in bed last night.

"Angrier!' Ranma cried, "Think of Happosai!"

"I'm trying, it isn't working!" she snapped back, her arms straining.

Frowning at the pain in his shoulders from Akane bending them back like she had, Ranma looked into her eyes, her emotions flickering rather than getting enraged. "Don't think of Happosai, try thinking like him! Remember the training trip!"

Her body was all too willing to flush with heat again at just Ranma's words, Akane shut her eyes against the blurring crowd of witnesses, her mind flashing through memories that had been too often in her thoughts of late, her aura burning.

Kodachi tried to glance down at Mikado as gusts of cold and heat flew around them, never before having had this occur in the Good Bye Whirl. Below Mikado was looking down as the tornado formed around them, pulling them up, his skates leaving the ice.

As Kodachi and Mikado cried out, Ranma grunted as he used his own experience with the winds of the Hiryu Shoten Ha to force Akane down and lift Black Gold up. "Akane, turn it off now," he cried.

Akane glared at the command, as if she could turn it off so easily. It was only after imagining Kuno naked that her blood chilled enough and the winds dissipated enough till finally her skates touched down on the ice once more.

Ignoring the announcers over the PA, Ranma looked at Mikado now hanging off Kodachi's feet. "Hey Sex-crazed jerk, you gonna let go or drag your fiancée down with ya?"

"As if there is a doubt?" Mikado shouted back before he let go.

The upside down Ranma grinned and looked down at Akane, only to see her eyes go wide.

Mikado, attached by a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon to Kodachi's leg, was about to impact the ice when it went taut, yanking Kodachi to him as his own momentum stopped enough that he landed on his skates. Kodachi smiled as she pulled Ranma and Akane over, letting them topple before releasing herself to fall into her partner's arms.

Ranma hit the ice hard, sliding into a patch of oil slicked ice. Shaking his head to clear it, her rolled onto his stomach and looked for Akane, seeing only a couple feet out of reach, and holding her head from an equally bad landing on the ice.

Slipping as he tried to stand, Ranma glanced to see Mikado already spinning Kodachi around him to whip her forward towards Akane.

"Akane, get up!" Ranma cried, his face going pale as she looked at him with dazed eyes but made no movement to get up.

As Kodachi bore down, Ranma desperately worked his legs to try and get traction but the slick ice refused to let the skate cut in. Giving up, he got on his knees and cried "Cradle of Heaven," throwing his arms wide as he let his emotions for her radiate out.

Akane's mind might have still been too stunned to realize the danger she was in or the words being shouted at her, but her body treated the lack of instruction as permission to do exactly what it wanted as she dove from the ice into Ranma's arms, mashing her lips on his.

Skating around the pair in shock, Kodachi had one eyebrow raised as she looked at her prudish rival showing unheard of enthusiasm for her man. At the crowing of the crowd, Kodachi grabbed her approaching fiancé and not about to be out done, planted her own kiss on Mikado.

"You two timing jackass! You cheating, dishonorable jerk!"

Ranma had to struggle to break from Akane's lips and look across the rink at the death glare Ukyo was giving him before she stormed towards the exit.

As the collective awkward silence spread over the rink, Kodachi looked towards her blue eyed opponent. "One of your other women?"

"She was my best friends as a kid but my Pop stupidly engaged us because he was greedy," he said, watching as his mother hurried to follow Ukyo out of the arena.

Mikado was about to make a snarky remark when Kodachi put her hand over his mouth and glanced to Ranma haughtily. "Black Gold is prepared to accept a draw so you can deal with this personal problem."

Ranma looked up gratefully. "Thanks," he said instantly, dragging Akane to her feet even as she caught up enough to question this.

"Wait, what?"

Kodachi smiled as Mikado made similar grievance against her palm but she pulled her hand away to kiss him into acceptance.

Akane was still struggling with Ranma surrendering victory when they reached the gate off the ice and she found him handing her his skates. "I've got to explain it to Ukyo."

Leaping barefoot over a cluster of confused audience members to the match, Ranma made it to the glass doors out of the building where he saw Ukyo glaring at his mother. He just started to push the door open when Ukyo slapped Nodoka across the check hard enough to drop the woman to the ground.

Genma was fast but Ranma was faster, both covering the distance to grab Ukyo and hold her by the arms, when Nodoka looked up. "Genma, Ranma, let her go."

The two Saotome's looked at the woman who was so precious to both of them but didn't release the struggling Ukyo as Nodoka stood.

"Please, let her go. I dare say that my allowing the engagement mess to drag out has only caused Kounji embarrassment to the point that I deserved that slap. Husband, as you have shown yourself to be only a detriment to these issues you will take Soun to a bar and not be within my sight before tomorrow morning. Ranma I'd like you to go and get out of your fighting outfit." Seeing the men release the struggling girl, she appraised the now somber girl who was looking at the ground. Nodoka gestured for the tea house across and a little up the road. "Ukyo-san, please join me for some tea. It is long past due we talked, woman to woman."

* * *

"He belongs to me," Ukyo spat, not touching the steaming beverage before her as the woman across from her looked infuriatingly sadly at her. "I loved him first. What more could I have done? What else could I ..."

Sipping her tea, Nodoka tried to keep pity from her eyes as Ukyo's voice broke. Putting down her cup, she spoke calmly. "I had thought you might be the one who would claim his heart. Unlike Sakura or Shampoo you offered him the friendship that my son most craved. Why he was never able to see you as more than that friend is not an answer I can give. The heart is a mysterious..."

"Oh yeah," Ukyo interrupted sharply, "like finding them naked or kissing the first day you brought her in was a mystery."

"I swear to you..." Nodoka began before she was cut off again.

"Like Ranma swore no intimacy and now he's making out on ice skates?"

Nodoka snapped back angrily, determined not to be cut off again. "Do you really think it was by yet another girl throwing her body at my son that she wormed her way into his heart more than Shampoo or Sakura? I gave you all a chance because it was more honorable to not drag yet another family into this dishonorable mess, you had a full year with which to win my son's heart. If one of you had I would have forced my husband to put an engagement with the Tendo's down a generation. But none of you did. So I asked my husband to consult with Soun Tendo to see if they still wanted to go forward with this despite the entanglements. My husband instead simply instructed Soun to engage Akane to Ranma. Akane came to me unaware of Ranma being the one she was being forced to marry and I kept them in the dark to let them be friends."

The slide of the door opening drew both women's attention, the chill air nothing against Ukyo's glare as Ranma and Akane entered, the latter with her hand on his shoulder. Despite Ukyo's glare Ranma didn't pull away from Akane's touch.

With a gesture of her hand, Nodoka directed the young couple to a booth across the room, away from herself and Ukyo. For a moment Ranma looked like he was going to approach before Akane dragged him towards the booth.

A young waitress shuffled over but seeing her customers already selected the booth she redundantly directed them to sit and took their order.

Seeing Ranma sit down on the same side of the booth table as Akane made Ukyo look back at Nodoka, near to tears.

* * *

From another booth, four feminine faces looked sadly at the byplay between Ukyo and Ranma before speaking in hushed tones.

"Ouch, he really did fall for your sister, huh?" Junko asked in a whisper.

Kasumi smiled somewhat bittersweetly. "He did. There is a lot of emotion between them for how little time they have known each other. It is just sad that so many are getting their hearts broken over this mess."

Nabiki's eyes were narrowed at the subtle grip Junko had on her companion's obi sash. Holding a still wrapped pair of cheap chopsticks in her hand, she pointed at the grip. "And how is Konatsu-chan involved in this mess?"

Blushing prettily, Konatsu shook his head and was about to speak through his gloss red lips, when Junko spoke over him. "Natsu-chan just wants to comfort Ucchan, even though he knows it is best if he holds back till Ukyo either wins or gets over Ran-chan.

Nodding, Nabiki smirked at the brown haired Konatsu. "Ah, you're the guy raised as some super woman ninja? Are you really as good as they say?"

Again blushing Konatsu raised a slender hand to his lips, "I am well trained."

Junko slapped his kimono sleeve, "Don't be so modest. Only Ran-chan could beat him."

"And you like Ukyo?" Nabiki pressed, tapping the chopsticks on the table.

"I respect Ukyo-san a lot," Konatsu said back in a hushed voice with a longing look for his heart's desire still crying in the distant booth. "She helped me break free of my awful step family and took me in when I had no one else."

Pursing her lips into a slight frown, Nabiki considered the crossdresser. "But you are not jealous of Ranma and Ukyo?"

Smiling sadly, Konatsu shook his head. "No, he also helped me break free and even helped me rescue Ukyo-san and Junko-chan from my Stepmother. If Ukyo-san truly wants Ranma then I wish them the best."

"Would you feel the same if Ranma cheated on Ukyo?" Nabiki asked quickly, earning gasps from Konatsu and Junko and an embarrassed warning glare from Kasumi.

Junko looked wide eyed at Akane and Ranma in their booth. "Did they?"

Nabiki smirked then sighed overly dramatically, "Have you ever known the mighty Ranma Saotome to break a promise?"

As Konatsu and Junko calmed and shook their heads, Kasumi silently started breathing again, promising to have a stern talking to her sister for her antics. The elder Tendo sister amended that to more than a talking to as her eyes caught the pair of chopsticks in Nabiki's hands, the younger Tendo daughter straining them to a slight bend with her fingers.

Ignoring Kasumi's glare, Nabiki used the chopsticks to tap lightly on the table again. "So if you support Ukyo after Ranma, why are you not angrier he is beside our sister?"

Junko looked embarrassed as she glanced to see if Ukyo or Nodoka were paying attention to them before leaning forward to whisper. "Well he is cute and kind of hunky, and really a sweet guy, but if he is anything like his father he is going to need to really love his wife. Anything less than devoted and I seriously doubt he wouldn't consider a training trip like his father and would you want to be left behind for ten years like Nodoka-san? I mean can you imagine a worse marriage than being left behind as a caretaker for a never used home?"

Nabiki raised an eyebrow as the girl she considered rather a ditz made a disheartening point about her sister's fiancé. Kasumi looked very sadly towards Nodoka for a long moment, leaving Junko to continue.

"What I fear is that Ucchan would go along with it. She loves her cooking and running the business, and that would probably drive Ranma to training trips. They both deserve better."

* * *

Akane looked silently at Ranma, trying to control her anger. She wasn't truly angry with him, just a little... not jealous, she assured herself, but peeved. Intellectually she knew he wasn't in love with any of his other fiancées, but when he lost the fight with Kuno and she was forced to return to Nerima, she couldn't get him to even talk to her for a week, and here he was chasing Ukyo who had just gotten a clue.

Pursing her lips, her grip tightened on Ranma's arm as she felt empathy for the girl, how mortifying to have the man she claimed to love, skating, holding, and kissing another woman in front of an audience.

Putting down his tea, Ranma glanced to Akane with a lost look, not sure what to do, but finding some reassurance in her small smile before looking back at Ukyo and his mother.

* * *

Sipping her tea, Nodoka reached out and touched the crying girl's hand. "There is no use in wondering what you could have done differently because it won't change what is happening. When you came after Ranma and his father, you brought violence and my son offered you friendship. When you offered him all of your love, he offered you friendship. He is not a complex young man and you know what he will do. What do you want to do, Ukyo-san?"

Glaring angrily at the older woman, Ukyo's jaw unclenched and a sob shook her shoulders. Wiping her eyes she stood and brought her shoulders up.

For a second Nodoka thought she might receive another slap and had to will herself to keep her arms down and accept it, but instead Ukyo turned from the older woman and glared at Ranma and Akane.

Opening her mouth, Ukyo seemed about to speak when she turned away, wet eyes looking at Nodoka. "I won't be at the meeting."

With that she walked out of the tea house, her back straight even as tears rolled down her cheeks.

To be continued.

A hard year to get writing done this one but finally another chapter.

Super special thanks to Taechunsa and Doc Emmit Brown for helping me clean up this chapter. And repeated thanks to them and Hpackrat, Lawrence Muishiki, Cupid's Bride, Angela Jewel, Katie, Sakurabana, Paul Henkel, Mzephyr, YouROCKharder, Mesrure Onal, Rosedreams, My-name-is-foxglove, MWhaleK, Michael Ahlf, and probably a hundred more of you out there who have pushed, proofed, or inspired me. And of course, Tom Wrensch, who started this story.

A special thanks to the awesomely talented siren-mergirl. Search for deviant art for her or Meeting Later: Akane for our very imposing heroine ready to battle for her fiancé.

One more chapter to deal with a couple loose ends, namely some love issues and meeting the 5th fiancée, then everything is set to get to the engagement meeting on chapter 22.

Thanks again for reading, please review all you read. The vocal minority gets what it wants, aren't you a minority? You would be if you took a minute to review.

Merry Christmas.


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